The Red River Blues
by NoLee5
Summary: "It's never too late to keep a promise." Harley Miller is going to have to make a new life for herself (or die trying) and she's going to need the help of the person she'd vote least likely to be dependable, Elliot Spencer. Set during Season 5 but I probably won't touch any specific episodes. Rated M just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

The Red River Blue's

Chapter 1

Elliot crossed the small space in a few clipped strides and underhand tosses the clicker to Hardison so he can begin their briefing. He'd delayed the meeting for the last 20 minutes as they tore their office apart because he was adamant that he needed the small remote to "amazing and inspire" the group of thieves with his technological prowess. But when Elliot found it in the mini-fridge behind 3 partial bottles of orange soda he was "inspired" to break Hardison's fingers. _Dammit, Hardison._

"So anyway, like I was sayin'. Uh, man, you wanna get that?" Hardison's transition from condescension went almost un-noticed by the hitter who didn't even realize that it was his phone making all the racket until Parker pulled it out of his pocket, again, and presented it to him.

"Is that…marching band music?" Nate asked from the other end of the counter, eyeing him thoughtfully. It wasn't uncommon for Hardison to mess with the ringtones on Elliot's phone just for the pleasure of irritating his friend but this seemed a little low for even him. When he stared at the phone for a beat too long trying to place the song, it ended just as he begins to mumble the rest of the line, "Rough, Tough, Real stuff, Texas A&M". Attempting to snatch the phone away from Parker as the dawn of recognition set in he fumbled the phone, sending it careening across the floor just as the song began again.

The rest of the team could do nothing more than watch the events unfold in front of them, realizing that even when he came face to face with Damien Moreau and room full of armed goons he'd never looked as rattled as he does now. Sophie's upturned brow quizzing Nate, who answers only with a shrug as he nods at Hardison, who was two steps ahead of the Mastermind and has already started tracing the new call. Parker picks up the phone and hands it to Elliot just as he reaches for it again. "Here ya go, Sparky." A grumbled word of thanks is drowned out by an even gruffer salutation as Elliot approaches the giant screen at the front of the room where Hardison is triangulating the call.

"Are you safe?" Not "Hello" or "Who is this?" but concern for someone's well-being, making it obvious Elliot knows the caller. Something that Nate Ford finds intriguing and has now joined the other men who stare up at the wall as the call pings off of 3 satellites: Denver, Phoenix, and Reno. The program eliminates Reno as a possible location several minutes later and it's a while after that before Elliot speaks again, but the voice is not his, it's a con voice: softer and with much more accent than normal. "Yes. I understand. Can I speak to her?"

_Her. _Everyone else in the room begins their whispered speculation as he smacks the enlarged map of Denver adamantly and signals to Hardison with a swipe of his hand in front of his neck to cut the trace. "That I do, sir. Haha. Yes, sir. I'll call you when I arrive. Thank you." When he turns towards his group there is a smirk on his face but his jaw is clenched as he is anything but jovial and the laugh they heard moments ago made Sophie's hair stand on end.

He wanted to throw the phone, smash it into a thousand little pieces until it is unrecognizable, but he can't. It is the only connection he has with Elliot Spencer, US Army Captain. The phone hadn't rang in years; after Aimee and Moreau, but he kept it just in case. He kept the phone as a painful reminder of another broken promise. The silence in the room only annoyed him further, knowing that the room is not empty but is full of his family, people who care about him, people he's made new promises. Promises he's kept, for the most part. His brow is furrowed but his eyes are wide and damp when he returns from whatever memory pulled him away and when he speaks it's nearly a whisper because he fears lashing out at one of them unnecessarily. "I'll be back as quick as I can."

When Nate calls out asking him to wait until they can all go he is already shrugging into his fleece-lined denim jacket. Flipping his hair out of his collar his answers back just as softly as before. "It's my mess, I have to clean it up." With one thoughtful glance back towards the team he pulls the door shut firmly and jogs down the stairs and out to the street to catch a cab. If he times it just right he can get a chartered jet to Colorado and just maybe sleep in his own bed tonight. Looking down at the display on his phone he laughs, knowing that nothing is ever this easy. Never.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: They still aren't mine, I'm just taking them for a little walk.

Chapter 2

Elliot's 2 hour window would have been spot on if not for the turbulent weather they hit over the Cascades and then again on approach to Denver International. By the time he was able to debark, Elliot's nerves were almost as raw as his emotions and he was itching to punch someone or something. Luckily, for his knuckles and any annoyance nearby, he was aware of exactly how tight his time table was getting and he knew his aggression would not be appeased just yet. _But maybe soon._

It was probably suspicious that he'd arrived with no luggage and looking rather _ordinary _for a private jet, but he'd let Hardison lecture him on the importance of blending in another time. As he stepped out of the cab at the main headquarters of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation he knew that standing out was exactly what he had to do. He'd been raking his fingers through his hair near constantly during the flight but he gave it a rough comb once more for good measure knowing that if he played it just so he might leave the building without handcuffs. Pulling out his phone he dials the number as instructed to do upon his arrival. When Lieutenant Avendano answers on the second ring, the man on the other end seems much more agitated than he had earlier and Elliot smiles, his first real smile since before the call; since before he started looking for Hardison's damn remote.

Passing through security always sets him on edge, but this adventure started him on edge and he's so tightly wound he's sure that all the security cameras are locked on him. Or maybe it's Hardison tracking him, _again. _But it isn't like he didn't tell them where he was going, sort of. He is greeted by a Hispanic man, probably pushing retirement, sporting a formidable girth around his middle and a stricken look on his face. Elliot takes the man's hand as he is escorted down a short corridor to the elevator bank and then down to an unmarked sublevel. _Hard master key on the elevator, no cards or scanners. _

He always hopes he won't need an escape route but he's already scoped out 4 routes to escape with and 6 other routes _without_ completing his retrieval just in case. The Lieutenant is noticeably quiet as they cross the long hall with doors that are only labeled with an "H" for "Holding" and some corresponding number. A polite way of storing the riff-raff, numerically.

They stop just outside of "H-7" when Avendano's voice is heard again. Turning to face Elliot full on, the older man's features have soften considerably in their subterranean pilgrimage. "A little friendly advice. If I were you I'd invest in some bar soap. No offense intended Captain but your wife has a mouth on her that would make a sailor blush."

Elliot's laugh is genuine as he pats the other man on the shoulder, one of Sophie's techniques and an attempt to show comradery. "You're probably right 'bout that. She's somethin' else." He's able to suppress a groan when he realizes that in his haste to leave Portland he'd forgotten to remove his earbud. He's attempting to calculate the range as Avendano turns his back to Elliot to enter in the door's code as he tucks the devise into his jacket pocket. _Four digit code, starting with 0 and ending with 0. Come on._

Elliot wishes he'd taken the time to steel himself before entering the darkened room. To anyone who didn't know better Avendano's description of the woman currently sitting in the corner with her face shielded feigning sleep might seem like an exaggeration. However, as the door clicks closed and Elliot takes a couple of steps towards the rumpled lump disguised as Harley Miller he is greeted with her venom, "What the fuck took you so long?". _Something's don't change. Miss a few hours of sleep and she's using cuss words like commas._

"Charming, indeed. Okay, she's all yours. Like I explained earlier, as of last night she is by all rights dead. There was enough fuel used in the blast that we shouldn't have even been able to identify the building let alone any victims, but for her sake she needs to stay dead. Do we understand each other?"

Finally looking up at him, Harley rests her chin on her folded arm listening the two men discuss her life or lack thereof. _Just another day at the office for them isn't it? _She's starting to fade out again when she feels a hand on her shoulder. Flinching away and back into the corner she knocks her head against the wall with a resounding thud and sending her concussion into kill mode. "It's alright, darlin'. You're safe. It's just me."

Looking up at him, the halos in her vision make him look like some kind of apparition, like he does sometimes in her dreams, well the good ones anyway. But when he starts lifting her to a standing position the halos are replaced by what feels like an ice pick to the frontal lobe. He's too close but in the interest of self-preservation she allows him to hold her upright, wedged against his chest. When the world stops spinning a few moments later he's whispering something about her breathing but she's sure one of her eardrums is busted and so his "sweet nothings" are useless, at least on that side of her head.

"Save it Spencer. If you don't get away from me with that cologne I'm going to yak. Hummphh… too late."

At the sound of splattering Avendano is gone and Elliot is on his own. _God-dammit, Harley. _


	3. Chapter 3

The Red River Blues

Chapter 3

He was able to get her to the hotel without any more puking or cursing, leading Elliot to believe that she's probably hurt more than anyone let on. And when it's time to walk through the lobby as man and wife the half carry/half drag thing they worked out looks almost affectionate. The cursing started up again on the elevator ride so Elliot slips his arm under her knees and carries her Bridal-style down the hall and into the suite, using the room's keycard with her still in his arms. _Handsome and Talented._

"What the hell are you smiling at, Spencer?" Elliot takes his first good look at her as he places her on the bed and frowns. The left side of her forehead has already turned a deep purple hue and other than the gash above it, near hidden by her hairline, you'd never know anything was wrong with her.

"Stay out of my head." He growls out at her as he shrugs off his coat before stepping into the in suite bath to gather up some supplies to help clean her up until she can do it herself. She wants to ask him if that grizzly bear routine still works but her head is pounding too hard and the only thing that comes out is a low moan that makes the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

"Here. Take these." She tries to open both eyes and look at what he's offering but the world seems to tilt slightly and so she tries again with only one eye the second time. Taking the pills from him and placing them on her tongue she lets him help her with the small bottle of water. The water may be helping more to ease the pain than the medicine ever will and she lets herself melt back into the soft hotel pillows and wills sleep to overtake her. That is until she feels him tugging off her boots, kicking at him slightly when he slips his fingers up the leg of her jeans to remove her socks. "What the fuck are you doing now? I'm dead. Just let me be dead."

"You're also covered in head to toe construction dust. I'm going to get you cleaned up so we both don't wake up in the morning with Black Lung. You wanna help me a little here?" He's teasing at the last part as he tugs gently on the button of her jeans. He thought about taking the rest of her clothes off the fun way just to torment her but figures his pocket knife will be much faster and she'll do less bitching. As long as she's aggravated she's okay, when she becomes passive and compliant then he knows he needs to worry. The feisty is coming back to her now and she's able to fight him just enough to prop herself up on one elbow and meet him eye to eye. "I'll do whatever you want if you'll tell me what the hell is going on around here."

"What do you mean? I got your rescue call. I should be asking you that."

She flops back against the pillows once more, stopping intermittently to cough as her voice comes out rough from exhausting and probably sore from the cussing she gave the Lieutenant. "Hell if I know. Went to sleep in my apartment. Woke up in some warehouse with blood coming out of my nose and my boss dead beside me on the ground and some guy grilling me about money he said we stole."

She pauses for so long he figures she might have fallen asleep mid-sentence and as he finishes the final slice up the front of her t-shirt he looks back towards her face but will not committing to looking her in the eyes just yet. "Don't remember much after that. 'Cept them asking me about you, I'm sorry. I was so out of it I forgot to lie."

He just shakes his head and continues on about his work, discarding the tattered remnants of her top and sets to sponging away the soot and dust, doctoring the 100's of small cuts he finds as he goes. "I'm glad you didn't. I should have come for you a long time ago." The look on his face is pinched and he's concentrating on his hands, spends a little extra time eyeing the new ink she's acquired and watching as the warm water sets goose bumps on her skin. He's stalling now, feeling exposed and she knows it. _That make's two of us._

When he's finished he pulls away from her just long enough to slip off his dress shirt, leaving him in the ribbed tank he wore underneath. "I'll pick us up some supplies in the morning, but this is all I have to offer for now." He presents her with the shirt and Harley can't help but grimace slightly as he pulls her up and helps her slip the oversized shirt on. He's on the third button when his hand skims over her exposed skin and he can't help wondering if he actually felt the electricity zap and crackle or if he imagined it. When he finds his voice it's less than a whisper. "I'll go clean this mess up. Be right back." _Get it together, Spencer. _He knows she's still angry with him, _10 years and counting, _but he can't help the way his breath hitches just slightly at the sight of her struggling with the snaps on his dress shirt. _She was just a kid when I saw her last, but now…_

The shirt is only one size too big and even though she's sure he's already seen it, Harley can't quite lose the self-scrutiny. "I told you my story. Now will you please tell me why the government has me listed as your dependent? One minute I'm in handcuffs and the next I'm on lockdown as "AKA Harley Spencer". Why am I listed as your wife, Elliot? It don't get it." _Elliot. She finally said my name. Progress. _

He pauses for a short moment. She's pretty sure she already knows the answer to this question, but she just wants him to say it. She wants to hear why he up and flew to Denver in 30 minute's notice, for her. But not when she's laying here like this; mostly naked and beat all to hell. His blue eyes are dancing slightly when they meet her searching ones. "Because, according to the state of Texas we are."

"I'm pretty sure I would remember if I got married to you at 16." He can't help the lady-killer half smirk he sends her at her muttered remark, he was sure she'd had a crush on him all those years ago. "I knew it. You do want me."

"Get over yourself Spencer. Spill it. What'd you do?" The eye roll is a non-conscious effort and reminds her of the concussion and its all drum orchestra taking up residence in her skull.

"I promised."

"You promised Will you'd marry his underage sister?"

He rubs his forehead as he begins to feel his patience slipping, he knew she'd be upset with him and that's why he'd never told her or anyone. "I filed the marriage license knowing that the only way to have you listed as a dependent was to tether you to me legally. I even looked into adoption but you would have shot me down on that. By all rights you and I are married. And so if something happens to me you are entitled to everything I have."

"Are you absolutely insane? What if I had wanted to get married?! Or what if you had found some brainless twit who could finally put up with your stubborn ass, what then? Is that why you're here now? Some half-baked foxhole death pact? Well let me tell you something Elliot Spencer I've gotten along fine without you for the last _decade_ and it isn't like you ever wanted me around anyway."

He reached for her as her knees to buckle under the weight of the day and her anger at him bringing forth near complete exhaustion. Once she's safely tucked under the covers of _their_ king sized bed Elliot turns on the television praying for a little bit of distraction from his own torment. Her words were nothing compared to the ones he'd been saying to himself ever since his phone rang earlier today. The Texas A&M Aggie's War Hymn, a homage to Sargent Will Miller, who died in his arms a decade ago in some no name hell hole. He'd promised Will that he'd take care of Harley and up until now he'd failed, sending a then 16 year old Harley out into the world all alone as he went on to try and conquer it himself. Elliot leans back against the headboard as he watches her silently and as soon he can feel himself starting to drift he hears her mumble something in her sleep.

"Bus station again Elliot…I've never taken the train before, that might be fun."

Smoothing a flaming curl that lay across her forehead he whispers back, "Not this time, honey. You're going home with me. I can't wait for you to meet my family. "


	4. Chapter 4

The Red River Blues

Chapter 4

Harley woke slightly when the firm round pillow was pulled out from under her head but when the clock display only read half passed four in the morning she let herself begin to drift again. She hadn't dreamt much last night and she figured it was a mixed blessing: 1 part concussion, 1 part too much proximity to Elliot. Nights like that were few and far between; dreams of her parents or of Will, always in his dress greens. She stirred around for a long while trying to find a comfortable position but when the early morning sun began filling the room with a soft orange glow she knew that her time was almost up.

She kept her eyes tightly shut, trying to squeeze out every last moment of peace before it was time to go. Would he take her to the bus station like last time or would they just part ways here? Harley tried not to think about it as she stretches exaggeratedly and began looking around the room. She scanned the room slowly, not wanting to re-live the pain of yesterday but she couldn't help the panic that rose and settled in the back of her throat when she realized that she was completely alone. Elliot was gone.

"Son of a…." She was ready to call him every name in the book but stopped short when she heard the door lock beep and watched as he fumbled his way in the room with his arms loaded down with shopping bags. She didn't even have a chance to slip the disheartened look off of her face before he was already all the way in the room and staring at her with a bit of a silly grin.

He'd slept much longer last night than he ever did. Waking in the early morning hours with a dead arm where Harley's head rested. It had been a difficult decision to pull away from her, the warmth and comfort of the morning something he wouldn't soon forget. Elliot Spencer wasn't much of a "Snuggler", but on this occasion he'd make an exception. Once he'd regained feeling in his arm he'd gone out for supplies and to pick up the rental car, hoping to arrive back before Harley woke up. And he wasn't sure what exactly woke her, but the look of defeat across her face gave him pause. "What?"

Harley suddenly found an interesting fiber on the carpet as she spoke, "I thought…I…I woke up and…nevermind. It doesn't matter, anyway."

_Way to go dumbass. She thought you skipped out on her, again. _

He held up the bags in his hands with a bit of a shrug, the smirk he'd been wearing earlier gone with the realization of what she must have been thinking. "Sorry. I tried to hurry back but it took a little while longer at the car place than I thought." He said as he began unloading his purchases into his and hers piles.

He'd bought all the essentials for both of them; clothing, personal care items, and a few snacks. He hadn't really put much thought into this trip before he'd left Portland but with Harley current status he wouldn't be able to just shove her on the plane and go, and until he could get her new identification she was stuck. They would have to drive the 20 hours to Oregon, quality bonding time that he was sure neither of them would enjoy.

Pointing to the pile of clothes on the chair he said, "I hope these will work, I looked at the tags on the stuff I cut up but you never know. We should probably get going, so pick out which of these you want to wear today and I'll pack the rest of it up while you're gettin' ready."

From the looks of it he had already showered and changed and she stood there in his dress shirt from last night wearing a bit of a deer in headlights look. "Harley, did you hear me?" But she could only nod to him as she picked up a change of clothes and retreated into the bathroom. He hadn't realized that she'd misheard his statement about getting on the road and so she couldn't be blamed for dragging her feet just a little this morning. She had no money, no identification, her car was in the CBI impound lot, and there might or might not be some mob thug's looking for her. _And he's going to leave me on the side of the road the very first chance he gets._

But once she'd showered and put on the new clothes he'd gotten for her and given herself one hell of a pep talk she was ready to play the hand she was dealt. She'd been on her own most of her life and today was going to be no exception. But she couldn't help wondering why the voice in her head sounded a little bit like her mother. _No time for a pity party today, Harley Jo. _When she stepped out the in-suite bath Elliot had everything packed away in a bag the size of a small carry-on which Harley found odd, and as soon as they'd given the room a quick run through to make sure they hadn't left behind anything damning or important they were on the their way.

The first few hours of the trip were filled with an uncomfortable silence, the only time Harley said anything of substance to him was answering him when he'd asked what a sign said or saying a state's name aloud as she played the license plate game by herself. Elliot felt her and the air inside the car bristle a few times and it took him a while to figure out what exactly was causing her discomfort. That was until he took an exit for a gas station near Salt Lake City and realized that there was a Greyhound station directly across the street. But neither Elliot nor Harley mentioned it, even though he could feel the tension in the air he couldn't help feeling disappointed in himself for not being more transparent to her about his master plan. They were only a few miles inside the Idaho state line when the "unknown" began to wear heavily on Harley.

"Salt Lake City would have been fine, Elliot. Or is dropping me off in the middle of BF nowhere more poetic?"

"God-dammit, Harley." He ground out, changing lanes abruptly without signaling and taking the first exit off of the highway. She was sure she'd done it now and it was too late to take it back. _No use in delaying the inevitable. _The car barely came to a complete stop in a parking lot next to what looked like an abandoned shopping center when Elliot yanked the keys out of the ignition, flung off his seatbelt in a fury-filled huff and got out of the car, slamming the door so hard she thought all the windows might shatter. She watched him wide-eyed as he stalked around the car and paced back and forth hurriedly talking out loud to himself, looking more like a caged predator than a man. Harley had never once been afraid of Elliot, but if she were, then right now would be that moment.

He cursed everything and everyone he could think of; God, the Army, Will, himself. He stopped just short of cursing Harley on principle alone, after all she'd never asked for any of this and well, Elliot hadn't exactly handled their situation well the first time so who's to blame her for her lack of faith in him. He was standing about 20 feet from the car now, watching her from his spot on the pavement. He had to make things right between the two of them, for the sake of both their sanities. She was going to be stuck with him until the Colorado cops figured out_ whoever_ was responsible for_ whatever_ really happened in that warehouse. Besides the fact that he was taking his _wife _home to Portland to meet his team, a team that knew nothing about this, and he wasn't exactly sure how that little intro was going to go just yet. Hell, he wasn't all that sure he wanted the team to know it wasn't a legit thing, but there's no way they would believe that with the frost in the air between them. _It's time for the truth, Elliot. All of it._


	5. Chapter 5

The Red River Blue's

Chapter 5

The air was turning cold and he'd gotten out of the car without his coat. When he looked to have calmed down substantially he just stood in front of the car like he was studying something, but while his eyes were on her his mind was not. He looked far away now and well…sad. The minutes seemed to pass like hours and the wind was starting to pick up, she could tell by the way it was whipping his hair into his face. That long hair, god if Will could see him with that hair he would never hear the end of it. _What's he going to do, stand out there and get frostbite just to prove a point? _

She grunted a little at the stiffness that had settled in her joints and all the little scrapes as she reached behind the driver's seat for his coat and climbed out of the car. She said a silent prayer that she was doing the right thing as she walked towards him, a peace offering of sorts. He hadn't yet acknowledged that she was near so she tossed him the coat from a few feet away, just in case. He snatched it out of the air with one hand but made no move to put it on, only watching her with a furrowed brow and a deep set scowl. "For fuck's sake, El. You're going to catch pneumonia and then who am I going to drive crazy?"

She crossed her arms over her chest attempting to play off the full body shiver she couldn't stop as the first gust of wind whipped around her, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet hoping to keep from freezing to death herself. Elliot cocked his head to the side just a bit and she could see one dimple emerging as he tried to suppress that lopsided grin she looo…liked so much. "Naw, I'm pretty sure you'll still be kickin' my ass 3 years after I'm dead."

"Damn, right. And if I go first I plan to haunt your ass. So you should plan accordingly." She couldn't help but smile at him when he feigned horror at her assertion but the smile died on her lips when he crossed the distance between them and slipped his coat over her shoulders. He was standing toe to toe with her now, looking down into those wide, bright blue eyes with such a look of terror behind them that you'd think he was about to swallow her whole.

In her defense, she did try to take a step back for posterity's sake but he still held onto the collar of the jacket, effectively holding her in place. "I'd like to make a few things perfectly clear before we get back in that car, so if you'll stop fighting me for 5 damn minutes we just might not die of exposure." Harley wasn't exactly sure when or how her skin became flushed but she sure knew why. He was so close she could feel his warm breath on her cheeks, smell the peppermint gum he'd been chewing. As he spoke, his voice was gruff but his tone wasn't and she cursed her traitorous heart for the tightness in her chest.

She blew out a shaky breath as he brushed a wild lock of red hair off of her forehead. He smirked down at her before tugging on the collar of his jacket so that she had to following back over the car. As he leaned up against the fender of the car, he purposely tugged her to stand in front of him, figuring out for the first time in his life how to get and keep her complete attention. "Please just listen for right now okay? I want to get this all out at once and if you start arguing I never will get to finish."

Harley couldn't help rolling her eyes at him but she nodded an affirmative as she watched him fidget, trying to find a comfortable place to put his hands. She couldn't tell if it was a nervous habit or if he was trying not to touch her, and she wasn't sure how she'd feel if were the later. He looked down towards the ground as he started his speech, the one he'd been working on ever since he concocted this wild goose chase, but eventually his eyes began travelling up towards her face, curiosity getting the better of him.

"I'm sorry, Har. And I could apologize to you every day for the rest of my life and it would never be enough. I did make a promise to Will that I would take care of you and up until now I've done a pretty piss-poor job of it. But I was a kid too. A dumb kid with more guts than brains and I thought, at the time, that you would be better off without me. I'm still not sure if I was wrong about that one or not." He stopped there and looked up at the sky for a split second, blinking back the moisture that had settled behind his eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but he held his hand up, stopping her.

"But this is what I do know. You heard Avendano back there. Harley Miller is legally and as far as anyone else _hopefully _knows, dead. Your bank account and credit cards have all been frozen, you have no identification of any kind, no cell phone, your car is in the impound lot, and there is a good possibility that some hired gun is still looking for you. But Harley Spencer is legit and as soon as we get to Portland I can get you back all those things that they had to take away. So like it or not honey, you're stuck with me until the state of Colorado is convinced that you're out of danger. I know you aren't thrilled about this but I hope that eventually you will find some clarity in all of this."

Harley's voice came out small and fragile realizing as he ticked off all the things she had going against her that he was probably her best bet to get out of all of this intact. "So I'm going to Portland. To stay. With you?"

His smile is back now. The one that Harley knows means trouble, predatory with more than a dash of mischief. "Yes. I would like for you to go back to Portland with me. I have a job there and my team's there."

At that moment Harley was certain her heart had just fallen out of her chest and was just flopping around on the concrete. She was trying to keep what she was feeling off of her face, but if she died from a panic attack he would never see it coming. She didn't understand what he was telling her, sure she didn't exist, that part she had in spades. _But he wants her to go home with him and just exist? _"I don't understand. How are you even planning on explaining me? Your "team" is going to be understanding of you dragging home a woman who legally doesn't exist, who is also kind of your wife?" _I think I need to sit down. Or throw up. Or a drink. Yes, definitely a drink._

He slips his hands just inside his jacket that is still draped over her shoulders and rubs his palms over her upper arms, in his mind it's a calming motion but it actually has the complete opposite effect. He wasn't exactly expecting her to be thrilled, but he really wasn't expecting her to have a panic attack either. "Okay, you're upset now so I think maybe we should talk about the rest of this later."

"Oh no you don't. Let's just get all of this over with. What's your game, Spencer?" _Spencer. God I hate it when she talks to me like that._

"Fine. Listen, I haven't exactly worked that part out yet. But I'm going to need them to help me get you set up. But, I was thinkin'…" _Here goes everything. _"Maybe we don't tell them the _whole _truth. Ya know, straight away." Her face is mirroring his closely he's sure of it. Eyebrows pushed up towards the sky, eyes wide, those pink, plump lips pursed together lightly.

"Elliot. Are you trying to tell me that you want to con your team with this whole thing? Pretend that we don't actually hate each other and like be married for real? You've worked with these people for how long and their stupid enough to believe this? Bullshit. I can't hardly believe this and I'm living smack-dab in the middle of this little nightmare."

"Well that last part was a bit harsh, but just listen. As far as everyone else is going to have to know we don't hate each other, it's one of those built in perks of being on the run and hiding from hired killers. Oh and news flash, we are married for real, sorta."

"I get that part. But won't your team see through that? I haven't seen you 10 years, we might as well be strangers. And the "sorta" part is what? That we are completely lacking all the reason's people usually get married. Love, affection, mutual respect. The "general distain for each other" thing we have down pat though."

_Oh god, she's giving me a headache. _

He rubbed his temples thoroughly as he spoke, his exasperated tone amusing Harley slightly."Fake married or real married it doesn't matter. Legally we're married and we can act however we want around each other. All I'm saying is it might seem a little _strange _to people on the outside looking in, like my neighbors or the kid bagging groceries down the street, if the Spencer's can't stand the sight of each other. We don't exactly want to be memorable should someone come looking for you. That's all I'm saying. And no, honestly they will probably see right through it. But if they see that _we _are at least trying to make it look believable then maybe they'll be helpful instead of meddling."

When he finished he could feel the blood pounding in his ears and he just slid past her and climbed back behind the driver's seat, started the engine and laid his forehead on the steering wheel waiting for her to follow suit. _God dammit, Harley. I swear, explaining this to Parker on a sugar high would have been easier. Maybe this was a bad idea after all._


	6. Chapter 6

_****Thanks to everyone who's been reading along so far. I greatly appreciate all the feedback I've gotten as well. As always, I do not own Leverage and I dearly hope John and Dean don't mind me playing with their toys.****_

Elliot watched Harley out of his peripherals as she slept in the seat next to him using his jacket as a blanket. As they approached the next city the inside of the car became more illuminated and he could take in all of her features. He found it hard to believe that it had been nearly a decade since he'd seen her last and she didn't look at day over 20. He smiled a little, wondering what it must be like to look younger than you actually are instead of the opposite. They'd lead vastly different lives and yet he found her to be most similar to him; grumpy, easily agitated, a lonely individual who craves dark corners and solitude. And all though their lives came together under such heinous circumstances Elliot couldn't help but feel an affectionate pull towards her, a desire to keep her tucked away somewhere safe, forever.

He knew that he held no control over her and nor would she ever let him and he felt a little maniacal thinking that she would never feel anything more for him other than disdain. Another painful reminder of the day he showed up on her door step with a box full of letters and a folded flag. Elliot shook his head at his own inner musings as he brought the car to a stop. They'd been on the road all day and all he could hear for the last two hours was her stomach growling, loudly. As he looked up at the sign over the restaurant he'd selected for its seclusion, noticing that is the parking lot was surprisingly full for a Tuesday night. It didn't really matter, he hoped they could blend in well enough to be able to just spend some time outside of the car. They were only a few miles away from the hotel but he felt like if he didn't get some time out of the car he just might scream.

He felt a little bad for disturbing the 3 hour nap she'd taken but with her stomach making whale noises he thought he'd better feed the beast. Elliot reached down and tapped her on the knee, the only body part that wasn't covered by his coat besides her face, not sure how exactly to go about rousing her. When she grumbled something about wanting 5 more minutes he couldn't help but laugh. Rubbing his knuckles against her jaw his breath caught in his throat as she nuzzled into his touch with a contented sigh. _Oh boy. _He coughed a little on his words as he did his best to appear normal. "Har, wake up. Let's eat."

Harley moaned as her mind came back to life. She stretched her arms out, her left hand flittering through the back of Elliot's hair and she looked bleary-eyed out the window. "Mmm… Food. I'm starving."

He swatted at her hand as she raked through his long dark locks, even though there wasn't anything that felt better in this world than someone playing with his hair he'd keep that knowledge to his self as long as he could. He smiled down at her sleepy face, "Haha, ya I know the growlin' was drowning out the radio, so I thought we'd better stop before it ate itself."

She'd reached over to grab the handle on the door but he stopped her when he handed her the small box he'd picked up this morning with the rest of the supplies. It wasn't much, but he figured it might show her he was serious and even though he could think of a 100 different ways to go about it, now was not the time to get sentimental. He watched her closely as she pulled the door closed and took it from him, eyeing him speculatively as she flipped the box open.

He tried to gauge her reaction, but he wasn't even sure she was breathing, let alone thinking anything. "If I had known that would shut you up I'da given it to you yesterday." He reached over and plucked the box out of her hand, pulling a solid black band out for him and slipping it on. He'd probably break his finger the first time he hits someone with it, but he'd worry about that later. The other 2 rings in the box were hers, 4 carats total black diamond's set in black gold with a matching wedding band. He was pretty proud of what he picked out. Harley continued to sit mutely as he reached down and took her left hand in his, sliding the set on her finger and squeezing her hand slightly.

"If you don't like it you can pick something else out when we get to Portland. I just figured it would work in a pinch and people now-a-days are hard pressed to believe people are married without 'em. Would you please say somethin'."

At the sound of his discomfort Harley finally looked up, her eyes searching his face. She wasn't sure she could speak when she saw the bridal set he'd handed her. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." She still sounding a little shocked as she looked down at her left hand. "I don't know if I can do this, El. I'm a terrible liar. What if you friends hate me? What if I hate them? What if there _is _some deranged maniac looking for me?" She rambled on for a full minute before he slipped his palm over her mouth quickly before turning her chin up to look at him.

"Everything is going to be just fine. We're gonna just take this thing as it plays out, alright. And as far as my team, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Okay? C'mon." And with a "buck up" nudge of the shoulder he was out of the car and around to her door before she even thought to pull the handle. The neon sign in the window was flashing and the smell of greasy bar food in the air made her mouth water. The parking lot was full of diesel trucks and motorcycles and the blaring music could be heard well out to where they had parked. He'd picked the perfect spot for them to go un-noticed. _My kinda place._

She was so lost in her own hunger that she almost stumbled into his back when he stopped abruptly near the entrance of the bar. She looked up at him with a furrowed brow, trying to figure out what he was doing when he reached down and took her much smaller hand in his, lacing their fingers together as he leaned in close to ear. "In a crowd like this I would feel better if you were within arm's reach; hold onto my hand or my arm and try to pay close attention to what's happening around you." With a wink and nod he pulled the door open and dropped her hand, ushering her inside and to a table near the corner with his hand firmly placed in the middle of her back.

As Elliot pulled out her chair for her at the table he'd selected she wanted to argue about having her back to the action, but she had to be certain he knew what he was doing and just let him do his job. Their waitress, an overly processed blonde still clinging to her 30's, did her best to completely alienate Harley while she took their orders. She tried to suppress an eye roll, remembering glumly that this is what it's like for Elliot and that she'd better just get used to it. But to his favor he was nothing other than polite, but the "Yes Ma'am" and "Thank you, Ma'am" seemed to only entice their waitress (the other waitresses and the female bartender) to ply him with drinks on the house when their food had taken 11 minutes instead of the originally proclaimed 10.

Other than their seating arrangements and obvious dagger's shooting out of Waitress Brenda's eyes, Harley felt mostly at home in the roadhouse they'd stumbled upon; _The Rusty Bucket _reminding her of the place she'd worked early on in college. They ate in a companionable silence, each doing their best to study the other without getting caught and keeping an eye out on anyone who might be looking to "off" Harley. But in a bar room that could easily double as a penitentiary cafeteria, keeping a keen eye seemed fruitless.

"Tell me about your team." He hadn't been expecting her voice as he scanned the room, his gaze lingering on the pretty dark haired bartender for a few seconds longer than to Harley's liking, and choked on the last of his French fries. He coughed for an exaggeratedly long time, polished off his beer and thanked the waitress _again, _for bringing him a new drink so quickly. He patted himself on the chest trying to clear away the potato debris, both internal and external, before he looked back at her with a caught look on his face.

"My team… well, let see. I don't know. I don't know how to explain them to you without you thinking _they_ or_ I _am crazy. But they're good people, they're my family." Elliot went on to tell her about each of his teams talents, well the abridged version anyway. He didn't really want to try to explain the soldier to thief to Leverage thing just yet, especially not in a room full of drunk bikers.

"Do they know about me?" She seemed small as he asked it, her eyes downcast looking at her hands in her lap.

"I don't know. I didn't tell them anything other than that I had to go to Denver. But.." Reaching into his jacket pocket he retrieved his ear bud that he'd stashed there the day before. "I would almost bet they know where I am right now and there will probably be a full report on you waiting for us when we get back. It's Hardison's thing, I think he was picked last a lot in school or something and he's gotta bit of a complex about it." As Elliot finished his sentence his cell phone rang and he shot Harley a wink as he slipped the small device back into his pocket and took a couple extra-long sips on his beer before reaching for his cell. "See what I mean. Even a dump like this has cameras."

Harley sat there a little shell shocked as he talked about his crew, about his _family_ and just by the way he described them, he loved them. Elliot hadn't had much family when Will had drug him home one Thanksgiving when they were on leave. By Christmas of that year, Elliot was her family too. And then by the next Christmas Will was dead and Elliot was gone. She hadn't given much thought to family since then, but her chest ached as she listened to one side of Elliot's conversation with his friend, his _brother_.

"-llo?" "I'm not an idiot, man. You're nosey as hell, all ya'll are." "Just a lucky guess." "Hey, you can't learn how to make beer on the internet, I already told ya that. Just don't touch the damn thing 'til we get there." "Tomorrow afternoon sometime." "Yeah, I'll bring her." "I figured as much, we'll talk about that tomorrow." "Yes, I'll cook dinner if you'll quit naggin' at me, man." "Later."

He disconnected the call with a grin on his face that faded away quickly when he looked up at Harley. Her face was ashen and she was gripping tightly to the Formica tabletop, the dark metal of her ring a stark contrast to the white of her knuckles. Elliot leaned in closely, trying to discern her discomfort level as he whispered to her. "You alright?"

Her eyes darted around quickly, her eyes were dark and wild as they settled on his. "I think I just saw a ghost."


	7. Chapter 7

The Red River Blues

_Chapter 6 Recap:_

_He disconnected the call with a grin on his face that faded away quickly when he looked up at Harley. Her face was ashen and she was gripping tightly to the Formica tabletop, the dark metal of her ring a stark contrast to the white of her knuckles. Elliot leaned in closely, trying to discern her discomfort level as he whispered to her. "You alright?" _

_Her eyes darted around quickly, her eyes were dark and wild as they settled on his. "I think I just saw a ghost."_

Chapter 7

Elliot glanced up at the mirror covering the wall behind the bar and immediately felt stupid because he had no idea what or _who _he was looking for. When he looked back at Harley, she was still pale and sweat was beading up on the end of her nose. "Where?"

"I…I don't know. It was just a glance. Over toward the bathroom." She indicated to her right with a tip of her chin but her eyes were locked on his.

He slid his wallet out of his front pocket (something he learned from working with Parker all of these years) and threw some bills down on the table. "We're out of here." Elliot half expected her to put up some kind of a fight at the decisiveness of his tone but when he reached for Harley's hand she only nodded, keeping her eyes down as he slid his arm around her and tucked her body in closely to his as they headed for the door. It wasn't until they were locked away safely in the car and back on the interstate that Harley's breathing leveled out and the pink came back into her cheeks.

He watched her quietly, wanting for her to initiate the conversation but when miles started to pass he thought better of it. "Talk to me."

"I'm not crazy, Elliot. I swear I saw him." Her bright blue eyes were swimming in tears when she shifted in her seat to look at him. He knew she wasn't crazy, but he hoped to hell she'd just caught a glance of someone who looked similar. Pulling his phone out of his pocket he dialed the call and linked it in through the cars on board Bluetooth. Elliot was thankful when Hardison picked up on the second ring.

"I knew you missed me, bra."

"Hardison, Harley's going to tell you everything she knows about Robby Baker and I need to know everything else, including his association with the Ramone family."

"I got you. Go ahead, girl."

Harley rattled off everything she knew about her former er…_boss_, which wasn't much, and then listened in awe as the two men discussed her and a bunch of acronyms she wasn't familiar with, but was able to pull out a few of the simpler ones like CIA and NSA. She wasn't sure exactly what Elliot's new team did but she was familiar with what his _old _team did and Harley decided that ignorance was probably the safest route, for now. They'd talked for well over half an hour and Harley was starting doze off as they pulled into the hotels parking lot. Elliot's eyes looked tired as he raked his fingers through his hair mushing it slightly while they listened to Hardison's vigorous typing on the other end of the line. When he could hear popping and ice clinking in addition to the clicking of the keys he said, "Hello Parker, Nate, Soph. Partyin' without me I see." Harley was astonished when a chorus of voices said hello in return.

"How did you know?" Harley whispered with her thumb over the mic on the dash but Elliot only shrugged and held up a finger at her as if telling her to hold on but then thought better of it and grumbled, "Crunching is Parker and Drinking is Nate. Sophie was just a lucky guess."

Parker's voice came in loud over the speaker and it felt like she was crawling through the dash at them. "Sparky, when you get home will you make me those little veggie thingy's like last time? Nate tried to cook tonight and the office filled with smoke."

Elliot grumbled but it was short lived and followed up by a chuckle when they could hear Nate in the background saying, "Uh, Parker I thought we agreed we weren't going to tell him that part."

Harley was smiling, as she listened to the banter between his teammates noting that they sound as much like family than anything else. Oh and the nickname, she couldn't help but rib him a little at that. "Sparky? Is that because of all the growling?"

Harley's smile widened when Sophie's voice, thick with accent and sleepiness came through. "I like her already." Elliot rolled his eyes at her and told Hardison to keep him up to date as he considered bashing his head against the steering wheel when Hardison said something uncouth about enjoying their second honeymoon as he disconnected the call. _Tomorrow, tomorrow I break his fingers for real._

Hotel rooms are all alike after a while but at least this one had two beds instead of one. Harley figured he wasn't ready to go all-in with the married thing just yet. They were able to check-in with no problem but she wondered if literally every single woman on the planet _had _to flirt with him right in front of her. That ring might as well be a neon sign that read "taken" but there was no deterrent. Harley huffed as she flopped down on the first bed inside the door, toeing her boots off with a soft thud as they hit the plush carpet, and preparing to just sleep as is until Elliot's phone rang once again. She tried hard to decipher his conversation but between the greasy bar food and the softest bed ever, Harley found herself drifting soon after he took the call.

She would never have let him sneak up on her if she hadn't been so tired. But as Elliot reached across her to pull the blanket over her still fully dressed form his palm brushed against her hip and in her half-asleep, half-dreaming state her body reacted. Harley turned to her left in an attempt to fend off her attacker and caught him off guard with a firm right hook to the mouth that under normal circumstances he would have been proud of. He hadn't realized how strong she was, her petite stature and womanly curves masking that fact perfectly.

Harley knew she was dreaming, she had to be because no matter how hard she fought it seemed like her arms were full of lead and the shadowy figure was too strong. She had to get away but every time she pushed away he pulled her back. She called out for Elliot but the man was squeezing the air out of her lungs and the sound came out garbled. She knew Elliot was close by because she could hear him saying her name and she prayed he wouldn't get hurt because of her mess. Her last thoughts were of him before the shadowy man started jostling her back and forth, keeping her close to him but shaking her hard and bringing her out of the fog of her nightmare.

When her eyes began to focus again she folded realizing that it was in fact Elliot who held her. His arms were wrapped around her shoulders, pinning her arms down to her sides and he was muttering something softly against her temple as she finally slumped into his grasp. She couldn't understand him but when she finally looked up at him the first thing she saw was that he looked panicked, the second thing she saw was blood. His grip relaxed enough for her to pull back and stand on her own so she could look at him fully, but he wasn't quite ready to let go and left his hands lingering on her hips_ to keep her steady _he told himself.

"I did that didn't I?" She said softly, licking her own lips as she watched the blood from his newly busted lip formed into droplets and threatened to fall. He looked away from her as he searched for something to dab his lip with, feeling no need to affirm her question and make her feel worse. He chuckled softly when they both reached for the tissue box at the same time, Harley being just a little faster than he but the laugh was replaced by a groan as she pressed down firmly on the cut.

"Sorry. Sorry." She muttered as she pressed a little harder waiting for the bleeding to stop and focusing on the task at hand, not on the color his eyes turned when he worried or the area around his eyes that crinkled up when he smiled. "There ya go." She tried hard to keep her voice from trembling as she pulled her hand away and tried to step back until the edge of the bed hit the back of her legs halting her retreat and forcing her down on the edge. Elliot knelt down and took the blood stained napkin from her hand and tossed it in the trash can beside her bed and took her chin in his fingers, the callouses on the end a rough contrast to her smooth skin making her shiver.

"Talk to me, babe." _Babe, not darlin' or sweetheart. He must think I've flipped for sure._

"I'm sorry. You're going to get hurt in all this and there isn't a single thing I can do to stop it." He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to that. _It's my job _or _I probably deserve worse _came to mind but he wouldn't tell her that. He left her then and crossed over to his side of the room trying to put some distance between him and what he was feeling. She was worried about _him _getting hurt? _Some mobster tried to blow her up and she's worried about me? _He rummaged around in the bag of clothes he'd bought earlier in the day and tossed an oversized shirt and athletic shorts onto Harley's bed before answering here concern.

"Me? I'm tough, I'll be fine. You have a nasty right hook by the way." He said rubbing his jaw playfully and he tried to grin but the skin on his bottom lip pulled around the split and he couldn't quite suppress the flinch.

"I picked up a thing or two out there. The world can be a scary place." She could apologize to him a 100 times but she figured he would just blow it off like she hadn't just smashed him in the mouth or reminded him for the millionth time that he left her. So she did the next best thing, she took the clothes he'd offered her into the bath and took a long, hot shower. This had been a near-nightly occurrence and she knew that it might be a long time before sleep came again and had an ugly cry until her chest ached and there were no more tears left. When she came out some time later her sheets were turned down like he'd been attempting to do earlier and she could feel the tears welling up again. The room was dark now and it looked like Elliot had already fallen asleep while she was having her hot water meltdown, something she was thankful for.

She tried to be quiet as she lay there, but her brain was afraid to fall asleep again and her body was still humming from the left over Adrenaline coursing through her veins. She really didn't want to spend the rest of the drive to Portland sleeping, but as she tossed from one side to the other and checked the clock for what seemed like the twelfth time that hour she figured that was what was going to happen. Because every time she closed her eyes she could see the shadow man standing over her, like he was waiting for her to fall asleep so he could claim her. As she lay staring at the ceiling she heard Elliot rustling around in his sleep and then a few minutes later he got up and crossed around to her side of the bed. He was wearing an outfit similar to hers, except he wore a ribbed tank instead and his hair was mushed from the pillow. _He looks beautiful._

"Scoot over." His voice was rougher than normal from the little bit of sleep he'd gotten or possibly the irritation at her wallowing around and keeping him awake but she didn't argue only pulled back the blankets and slid over to the other side of the bed. She laid on her left side watching him as he settled in and began to doze. He slept with his right hand behind his head and she wondered if that was a conscious effort to keep her from invading his space. _Nothing says "stay on your side" like an elbow to the eye socket._ But she didn't care as long as he was close by because she knew, and so did he, that if they stayed together that it just might keep the monsters away.


	8. Chapter 8

_****Thank you once again for all the feedback and follows, I hope everyone has been enjoying the story so far. I promise that soon you'll get to see more interaction with the rest of the team, but I have to build up Elliot and Harley before I tear them down (wink, wink).****_

_Chapter 7 Recap:_

"_Scoot over." His voice was rougher than normal from the little bit of sleep he'd gotten or possibly the irritation at her wallowing around and keeping him awake but she didn't argue only pulled back the blankets and slid over to the other side of the bed. She laid on her left side watching him as he settled in and began to doze. He slept with his right hand behind his head and she wondered if that was a conscious effort to keep her from invading his space. Nothing says "stay on your side" like an elbow to the eye socket. But she didn't care as long as he was close by, because she knew, and so did he, that if they stayed together that it just might keep the monsters away. _

Chapter 8:

The last few miles into Portland seemed to take a painfully long time for both Elliot and Harley but for different reasons. Elliot was mostly just tired of being in the car while Harley's nervousness kicked in somewhere around the Oregon state line. She still hadn't slept that great after last night's events but she found herself too worked up over arriving at their destination to rest in the car either. To Harley's relief he never tried to talk to her about her nightmare or the fact that he could probably hear her heart pounding from the other side of the car.

When they were only a couple of hours out Elliot began talking, _rambling really_, of his own volition about Portland, about the bar, and about his house. Harley wasn't sure if he was feeling nervous or trying to re-assure her, but he was failing miserably and when the car came to a stop outside of _Bridgeport Brew Pub_ she knew it was sink or swim time. He unhooked his seatbelt but made no move to get out of the car instead he turned so he could face her. With one wrist resting on the steering wheel and the other around the headrest of his seat, making him appear broader as he filled up the driver's seat of the car. "I think you're going to like Portland, Harley. It reminds me a lot of home. Everyone and everything here is weird and no one cares." _Home. _

Harley hadn't thought about "home" for a long time but it almost felt like living in Austin, Texas had been more of a fantasy than the first half of her life. She also thought it strange for Elliot to refer to it as home since he hadn't ever lived there, only visited with Will a few times, but she figured it was all part of his sales pitch. She glanced around at the neighborhood from the behind her sunglasses, his shades that she'd pilfered early in their trip, trying to get some bearing on the neighborhood. "So you're saying it's okay for me to be myself here? 'Cause it sounds like I'm amongst my people." _He probably thinks I'm mapping out my escape route._

When she turned back toward him he tugged down the nose piece of her sunglasses so he could see her eyes over the rim. "Your new self, you mean? And yes, you might actually feel quite normal around here. You'll see what I mean." He patted her knee swiftly as he turned back and climbed out of the car, Harley following suite. Initially she couldn't figure out why he was looking at her speculatively when she met him on the curb until she realized that he'd been coming to open her door for her. She'd almost forgotten, the personality was all her but the person not so much. _This being dead thing is kind of a pain. _

He presented his arm for her to take as they walked up the steps toward the buildings front entrance. "Next time wait. _Please_." Harley mumbled an apology, realizing that they'd only just arrived and she'd already broken rule number one and bruised his ego. _I have a feeling this is going to be a very long day. _

And a long day it was, but not in the way she had imagined. After initial introductions to Elliot's team, which Harley found completely overwhelming, everyone seemed to scatter with the exception of Hardison who spent what was left of the day with her, and Elliot hovering nearby, constructing her new identity. She was certain nothing he had done was even remotely legal but by the time the sun was starting to set Harley Spencer was born. As Alec handed her a new driver's license and a wallet full of other essentials, as well as a brand new smart phone she was sure hadn't even been released yet, and gave her the run down on herself. But he was talking so quickly and using terms she wasn't familiar with that Elliot finally had to speak up, stopping the younger man's presentation. "Geek spiral, Hardison. She ain't gettin' none of that."

"My bad." And he began again, this time in English. He'd manage to extract what little money she had in the bank and transferred it over to a new account, as well as her diplomas and her college transcript adjusted to her _married_ name. She wasn't sure why he felt like he needed to keep using that word, but he said "married" a lot, like Alec was hung up on it just as much as she was. Harley Miller hadn't been able to graduate from high school or attend college in Texas, but Harley Spencer had. She was having a hard time believing that any of this was even possible. "So just like that huh?"

"Age of the Geek, baby." And while she had no idea what the hell that even meant she was grateful. Thanking him thoroughly, even presenting him with a well won embrace that caused Elliot to snarl at the hacker and when she released him Alec backed away awkwardly at the realization that he was a miss-positioned finger away from being disemboweled. "No problem. You should be all set but if there's anything else I can do just let me know." And just like that he was gone, device in one hand and a two liter of orange soda in the other, laptop cord dragging behind him as he went.

Harley glanced through the wallet, noticing that there was another bank card there in addition to the one Hardison had shown here. She slipped it out looking it over front to back, the only thing that distinguished it from the other card was that it was solid black. "Hey, what's this?" She held it up so Elliot could see it from where he sat, in Alec's now abandoned computer chair. With his fingers laced behind his head and feet stretched out in front and crossed at the ankle, he looked like he didn't have a care in the world but at her inquiry a shadow seemed to cross over his features briefly, the muscle in his jaw tensing.

"That's for _our_ account, wife." His eyebrows wagged upward giving way to a wolfish grin that she hadn't seen in sometime. She had nothing to add to that, even hearing him say the word "wife" gave her heart palpitations and she could feel all the blood in her body rushing to her face. To cover up the mild panic attack she felt like having she rolled her eyes exaggeratedly and put the card back in her new wallet before pulling out the phone Alec gave her and tapped in the passcode he'd insisted upon, their anniversary apparently. She scrolled through the contact list and chuckled slightly at Elliot's number being listed as "Hubby", but felt a little sad at seeing that there were only 8 numbers total: Elliot, his team, the Brew Pub's direct line, the admissions number for Portland State University, and one number that wasn't labeled but struck her as oddly familiar.

"What's so funny?" She jumped at the percussion of his voice in her ear, not realizing that he'd gotten up let alone that he was looking over her shoulder, his hand ghosting against the small of her back.

"Thank you for the heart attack. What are you, part ninja? Jesus, I'm going to put a bell around your neck." She said, placing her hand over her pounding heart. He muttered an apology as he snatched the phone out of her hand, sighing at all of Hardison's personal touches to her phone. "You think that's bad, check out the camera roll." she laughed softly, gaining much enjoyment in watching the smirk on his face dissolve into a look of horror. Hardison must have photo-shopped 50 pictures of them together even a few wedding photos, probably for his own personal enjoyment. "Dammit, Hardison."

"Okay, enough of that. I have questions." She tugged the phone out of his hand and slipped it into her back pocket, crossing her arms over her chest in the hopes that he might take her seriously. Elliot sighed as he lumbered back over to the desk chair he'd vacated earlier. _Here it comes. _"Shoot."

"Actually, I have questions and a statement."

_Oh boy, even better. She's going rip me a new one before she grills me. Myanmar all over again._

He nodded, waiting for her to continue as he returned to his previous pose. _How the hell can he be so relaxed? _ "Okay, first question. What happens next?"

"Well, Sophie has _graciously _volunteered to take you shopping in the morning because you are officially out of clothes. But after that, I don't really know. Hardison is still working on piecing together some very grainy video footage from that bar in Idaho, so until we know what we're up against you will be with me or one of the team _at all times_ as a precaution." _At all times? Great, here comes the head to toe Kevlar._

Harley began pacing somewhere around the word "shopping" and Elliot wondered if she'd stop before wearing a groove in the concrete. He tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, after all she had been through a lot on the last couple of days, but he wasn't exactly sure how she was going to handle everything she wanted to know or the parts he wasn't willing to tell.

"Okay, I'm going to take the PSU admissions number as a lack of subtlety on your part but what about the other number that isn't labeled?" She held up the phone as a visual aid and continued her back and forth tract in clipped, deliberate steps across the space. When she glanced over at him he appeared to be pondering her question but that "Spencer Special" grin was back. Harley was sure she wasn't going to get a straight answer just by the look on his face and when it turned into a full on beam she knew she might just not want to know after all.

She felt her spidey-senses begin to tingle as he stepped in her path running his palms over her upper arm, stilling her further as his masculine presence filled her personal space to a dangerous level. "I'll tell ya what. You make it through tomorrow without killing Sophie and I'll explain about that. You'll have more than earned it."

His voice was a rough and low, rumbling over her like thunder during a storm and even though she figured he was just tired she couldn't help thinking it was sexy as hell. And when he brushed his finger against her chin briefly and shot her a playful wink she felt her defenses stutter, causing her knees and her conviction to waiver. "Um… okay." A voice she wasn't sure was her own came out as a squeak. _Did I just agree to shopping…with a woman who looks like she felt out of the runway at fashion week? Christ._

He couldn't help but mess with her just a little, especially now that he knew being this close to him bothered her. Watching her blue eyes dilate and her cheeks flame she look undeniably beautiful; her tongue racking across her bottom lip was just a bonus. Elliot wasn't sure why he was torturing himself, but he liked knowing that he was affecting her just as much as she him. He ran his index finger against her chin and swore he heard her skin sizzle and with a wink he turned away picking up her jacket, offering it to her as an indication that their conversation was over.

When the air around her stopped crackling Harley realized that he was leading her towards the door and she still hadn't finished with what she was planning to say. _I swear he does that on purpose. _Just as he was reaching for the knob she covered his hand with hers, stopping him from turning it. "There's one more thing, Elliot." 

He didn't pull his hand away until she did, enjoying the contact while it lasted before leaning back against the wall, crossed his arms over his chest and waited. He'd hoped that they could skip this part but he apparently hadn't fluster her enough to make her forget (something he planned to work on next time) and he still wasn't sure how he should feel when she called him by his first name, it felt strange and yet intimate in a way that made him feel inadequate. He looked down at the tip of his boot as he waited for her to start. She started to mirror him, but didn't want to close herself off to him, especially when he already looked like a little boy about to be scolded.

They were already standing close together but when she took a step closer he finally looked up, knowing that it must be important if she's willingly letting him in her space. "I..uh…I just wanted to say that… Although I realize that I'm in this situation solely because I didn't ask enough questions in my last relationship, I'm okay if you don't want to explain all of this." She flailed her hands around her as if to emphasize before she continued. "I'm sorry, I know I've probably put you in an awkward spot with your crew but I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't come for me. No…I take that back, I think we both know what would have happened. I pray to god that I don't end up regretting this but, I trust you. So, tell me what you need me to know and then remind me of this conversation when I'm a great big Bitch later. 'Kay?"

He nodded slowly, processing what exactly she was agreeing to. He knew that they would most likely be reliving this conversation again, especially in the coming weeks when she was spending hour after hour stuck in the back of the van with Hardison while they worked. But he'd give her the benefit of the doubt for now. The last thing he wanted was to keep this from her. Because he wanted her to see that more than his hair had changed, that in 10 years he'd turned into someone else completely, someone he could be proud of. Someone Will would have been proud of.


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 8 Recap:_

_He nodded slowly, processing what exactly she was agreeing to. He knew that they would most likely be reliving this conversation again, especially in the coming weeks when she was spending hour after hour stuck in the back of the van with Hardison while they worked. But he'd give her the benefit of the doubt for now. The last thing he wanted was to keep this from her. Because he wanted her to see that more than his hair had changed, that in 10 years he'd turned into someone else completely, someone he could be proud of. Someone Will would have been proud of. _

Chapter 9

The next morning, Harley found herself enjoying her time with Sophie, even if they were "shopping". But Sophie Deveraux's idea of shopping wasn't even close to what Harley had expected. They had hit a few shops to get a feel for Harley's style, something that could only be described as "tractor pull chic", and picked up a few essentials before they met with a Stylist/Personal Shopper who was tasked with building a wardrobe from absolutely nothing. Sophie had explained that the idea was for Harley to blend into Elliot's already formed cover, and while her usual comfortable attire would be "adequate" she would find herself in need of more classy items from time to time. "You are a woman, and all women should feel beautiful no matter where they are going or what they are doing."

Stylist Jamie assured the women that most of her new ensemble would arrive by the early evening, although some of the more special pieces might take a day or two. Harley found herself enthralled by the experience of someone else going through the hassle of shopping for her but also a little nervous about what she might end up with and if Elliot was going to flip when he saw how much it must cost. But he had said not to worry about it, and Sophie had reiterated that fact at least 10 times as well. Elliot didn't look like he was swimming in the money, but Harley knew that if she was really going to trust him then this was the best time to start.

While the women were out shopping, Hardison had finished working through the footage from the bar two nights ago, tired of listening to Elliot complain about how much time it had taken even though the video footage might as well have been shot on a Super 8 with the film in backwards. But both were thankful when the facial recognition came back immediately and proved that all though the man Harley had seen looked very similar to Hector Ramone, it hadn't been him. Elliot wondered if the CBI's ploy had actually worked, meaning that Harley was probably completely safe in Portland. But in the back of his mind he just couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else, something he was missing. Hardison, oblivious to the inner concern of the hitter, interrupted his thoughts and pointed up at the screen as he typed away furiously.

"Man, your girl has lived in 5 different states in 3 years but she's one smart cookie. Look at this, she started her MBA with a 4.0 before she moved the last time. I wonder why she gave it up? Maybe she can help me with the Brewery, you know the legit stuff."

"Ya, maybe." Was all Elliot replied, staring up at the screen where a picture of Harley floated next to the faces of Hector Ramone and the now deceased, Robby Baker.

It was Nate, a silent observer for most of the day, who noticed the hitter's apprehension. "What is it, Elliot? You don't seem convinced."

"I'm not sure. Maybe I'll have Harley run through it again when she gets back. I just feel like I don't have the whole story." It was like an itch he couldn't scratch but he knew he needed to let it go or it would make him crazy. So instead of spending more time doing nothing he exited the office and headed out to the kitchen where he might be able to put his energy to some good use.

Elliot was putting the finishing touches on dinner time when the women arrived, and stopped mid-slice when he saw Harley come through the front door. Although their arms were full of packages both were sporting smiles and looking as if they had enjoyed their time together, but it wasn't the smile that froze him in his spot it was well, everything else about her. In addition to the new clothes she wore, Sophie had also convinced her that if she might as well embrace the new life she had been given and make a few more changes while she was at it. So she did just that, letting Sophie's highly recommended beautician cut off well over 6 inches of hair and weaved in several golden highlights; giving Harley's hair a more sophisticated look and making her almost look her actual age with the help of some expert make-up tips. Harley couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so pampered, but maybe never. She hadn't had many girlfriends growing up and as an adult she moved around so much that it seemed fruitless to get too attached. But today she felt beautiful. Today, she felt like a woman.

Elliot was dumbstruck. _Even if someone is looking for her they wouldn't ever recognize her. _He stood there, watching her through the small serving window as she crossed through the dining room and although Harley was oblivious, he hadn't missed all the heads that turned as she walked by. A few small changes seemed to affect her in a big way; not just her appearance but the way she carried herself. She seemed more confidently, stronger.He was so wrapped up in watching her that he forgot all about the knife in his hand, bringing it down absent-mindedly on his thumb. "God dammit, Harley." He muttered as he wrapped his hand in a dish towel.

"Did you say something?"

"Wha…No, I just…" He thought she'd have been in the office by now, but she must have heard the end of his half-hearted curse. Stumbling over his thoughts he held the towel up and indicated to small bathroom off the back for the kitchen staff, hoping she would understand and leave him to bleed to death in peace.

"Do ya always cuss me when you cut yourself?" She said, opening the door for him and pulling the kit from under the sink. Elliot huffed a little, realizing she was not going to relent and he was going to have to think fast or tell the truth and embarrass the hell out of himself.

"I… You... Sorry." _Embarrassment it is. _He hissed out as she poured disinfectant into the cut, patting it dry, and bandaging it silently.

When she was finished she pursed her lips and looked up at him. "If you were gawking in disapproval please keep it to yourself."

_It doesn't matter how much color you use to cover it up, redheads always burn a little hotter. _He reached up with his un-injured hand and caressed a bouncy curl that stopped just above her shoulder before ushering her out of the rest room and towards the table where their dinner was probably getting cold. "I like it. Just different is all."

"That was kind of the idea." She said, taking her seat across the table from him.

They ate dinner with the team, Harley enjoyed listening to each of them tell stories on one another, some from different jobs they had worked and given ridiculous names to like, "the Potato Job" or "the Santa Job". She mostly listened, liking to be a part of the easy banter that went on around her but she was starting to wonder what could possibly have brought 5 people so vastly different together. As well as all the talk of Hardison "hacking" and how easy it was for Sophie to change accents in the middle of a sentence it solidified the idea that Harley was probably best not knowing. Especially after Sophie's slip earlier in the day about Harley assimilating into Elliot's "cover" but never saying what he would need a cover for. _Maybe I am amongst my people after all._

After dinner everyone paired off and scattered, Elliot and Harley piling into his car to head to his place outside the city. Harley wasn't sure what exactly she had been expecting when they'd arrived last night but a 4 bedroom new build in a gated community wasn't it, and now she wondered if it was all for his cover story. While the house didn't seem to fit his style, the inside and backyard seemed to scream his name. All the floors in the common areas were dark wood, matching perfectly to the black leather furniture and other dark fixtures. The kitchen was a work of art all in its own and the backyard was perfectly groomed for entertaining with a garden that could possibly feed the entire neighborhood all winter.

Harley's bedroom was on the second floor at one end of the hall, while the master bedroom sat at the top of the stairs. She hadn't seen inside his room but she imagined it mirrored the rest of the house perfectly, masculine and dark just like him, while the room she was in had a more feminine feel and she wondered if that had been his own doing or someone else's. She didn't think he was a clean freak, but she wasn't going to test her theory by tracking dirty boots across the hardwood either. While Harley wrestled off her boots before going into the house, he went straight to the front porch, retrieving box after box that had been placed there. "I'm guessin' these are for you." He said as hd headed up the stairs, Harley following behind lugging the bags she'd acquired as well.

When Elliot went downstairs for the second load Harley began sorting through the clothes, placing them on hangers or deciding which item would go in which drawer. "Well Sophie wasn't kidding when she told Jamie to get _everything _I might need. Jeans, dress clothes, swimmin' suit. Hell, I wouldn't be all that surprised if there were a prom dress in the bottom of this box." When he dropped the last box on her floor he plopped down on her bed resting against the headboard and watched as she continued to work. As she sorted out the last of it she came across a silk garment bag, freshly monogrammed and retrieved an extravagant white nightie that would leave very little to the imagination. When Harley held it up she gasped. "Oh sweet, baby Jesus."

"Oh sweet, I was wondering when the fashion show would start." He smiled, rubbing his hands together diabolically.

"You are enjoying this entirely too much. Don't you have something better to do with your time than watch me die slowly of humiliation?" She put her hand over her eyes, attempting to regain some of her pride before she looked up at him, not needing see the smile on his face because she could hear it in his voice.

She heard the bed squeak as he bucked towards her, failing to gracefully extract himself from her extra soft bed. When his bare feet hung over the edge he tugged her hands away from her face. "I don't get to have any fun. Besides, I think your forgetting one vital piece of information."

"Oh ya, whats that?" She asked her hand muffling the sound.

Elliot took both her hands in his and held them against his chest. "I've seen it already, darlin." And with a wink and a swat on her denim-clad hip, he retreated, calling back to her from the top of the stairs. "I'm going to put in a movie and pop some popcorn. When your face turns back to a natural color you might as well join me."

When Harley had everything situated she changed and ventured down to the living room to join Elliot. He sat in one of the over-sided armchairs reading, a bowl of popcorn on the coffee table nearby. "I thought you might want some say in the movie, so I waited. Didn't know what you'd be in the mood for." He called to her as she took the last few steps into the living room, the sound of her step changing slightly from the stairs to the floor, but he never looking away from the book he was reading turning the page as he spoke.

Harley flopped down on to the couch, her head resting on the cool material of a throw pillow. "I don't think I'm going to stay up much longer. My feet are killing me from trying to keep up with Sophie today. That woman could run a marathon in stiletto's and never get a blister."

Elliot dog-eared the page before depositing the book on the table with his glasses, moving from the chair to the couch and lifted Harley's feet so that when he sat down they would come back to rest in his lap. He tried not to pay much attention to how long her legs were or how soft her skin was as he ran a firm thumb up the arch of one foot and then the other, attempting to sooth the pain she was in. "If you wore something with a little support in them that might help. You've been wearing those same boots for what, 12 years."

"Yeah, almost got 'em broke in too." She could feel her body starting to melt into the couch as he rubbed her feet, successfully turning the rest of her into jelly. But when he finished he patted her leg, a silent request for her to let him up and slid over to sit on the coffee table so that he could see her face better.

"I wanna talk to you 'bout somethin." His forearms were resting on his knees and he was rubbing his hands together. She sat up, folding her feet under her and waited for him to continue, running her fingers through her hair absently. "Did you call Portland State today?"

_Really? That's what has him all bent out of shape? _

"Yes,_ Dad_. I have an appointment on Monday with the Business department chair person to discuss what course plan would work with my "situation". I told them that we traveled a lot and so that an online program would be the most ideal. So I'll just have to wait and see what he says. Worse case they say no and I sit around on your couch eating cereal with Parker for the rest of my sentence."

"Sentence? Hilarious. No the real worst case is you end up helping Hardison try to figure out how the hell to run a business that he knows nothing about with no time off for good behavior."

He'd taken her comment offensively but what she'd meant was that she didn't want to sit however long her stay would be without being of any help to anyone. Although his comment was supposed to sound like a "threat" she hadn't taken it as such, if her college career was over the least she could do was pitch in behind the bar or help balance the books every now and then, maybe then she'd feel _needed. _

He clapped his hands together as he continued with his interrogation. "Good. Monday's good for me so I'll be going with you. Also, Hardison was _finally _able to run that guy through facial rec and it wasn't Ramone, but it looked damn close. But for the time being I'm still gonna stick close, just until I'm sure there isn't anyone actively looking for you."

Harley nodded, wondering how long it would take for him to decide she wasn't in danger and release her back into the wild. She continually told herself that it was only a temporary set up until he felt like she would be alright on her own. "Do you have everything you need? I know Soph probably went a little overboard, but if there's anything you need we can get it."

"Oh, no. As you saw earlier she was _very, very _thorough. I should be set for a while." Harley could once again feel the heat coming back to her face as she wondered what exactly Sophie had expected to accomplish besides utter humiliation with that beautiful, yet completely impractical gift.

He chuckled when she started to squirm again. She seemed tough as nails on the outside but on the inside she was just as insecure as everyone else. He only wished she could see her how he sees her. Elliot pointed over his shoulder with his thumb towards the kitchen and asked her to retrieve her phone from the docking station. He'd made a promise yesterday and since no blood was shed during their shopping trip she had more than earned a little bit of good news. When she scrambled over the arm of the couch and sat back down on her feet, just as she had been earlier.

"Okay, first things first. This button here is a direct com line to me and the team. We all have the ear buds so if you should need anything and I'm not around then hit this and they'll be able to hear you. Also, this phone emits a constant GPS signature. And before you say anything, I know you don't need a leash but humor me. I'd rather not have to guess where they took you to remove you from your appendages. Any questions?"

His eyebrows were tilted up as he waited for her to lay into him about something, anything about what he'd just told her that she didn't like. But she never did. She just sat there silently listening to him blather on, looking emotionally and physically tired. More tired from shopping than she had hours after nearly being blown to bits. _Women. _"Now, ask me again about that un-labeled phone number." He handed her the phone and then rested his palm on the edge of the table, gripping and releasing the edge over and over.

"Who's number is this?" Harley had a hard time playing along with whatever game Elliot was, but he looked proud of himself and she didn't have it in her to shut him down now.

"Shelley. The state troopers called him to notify him of your un-timely demise and he called me. This is your fail-safe. I couldn't lie to him, didn't feel right letting him mourn you. If something should happen to me or the team and you need anything I want you to call him. Memorize it, tattoo it on a body part, I don't really care. I hope to hell you never have to use it, but I'd rather be sure that someone knows you're out there. Any questions?"

She wasn't sure how he wanted her to react so she just nodded. "A statement, actually." _Ah Fuck._

Harley launched herself off the couch and wrapped her arms around Elliot's neck hesitantly. She wasn't sure if he'd accept the embrace but when she felt his arms envelope her she relaxed into him, the heat of his skin warming her soul. "Thank you." She kissed his cheek chastely before push away, but Elliot's hands held her in place, only giving her enough space to be able to look down into her eyes.

"Don't thank me. I should have done this a long time ago." She thought he'd meant the fail-safe, the protective measures until he pressed his mouth to hers. Although Harley was surprised she did react correctly, returning his kiss with counter pressure of her own. But when she expected him to break away he leaned into her further, his lips moving more firmly over hers as one hand tangled in her hair and the other slid under the hem of her shirt, running his fingertips against the base of her spine. Harley held onto his shoulders like if she let go he might disappear forever, but when she parted her lips to invite him further he shoved her away and in his haste to retreat, flipped the coffee table up on its end, sending popcorn flying through the air.

He fisted the hair at the base of his neck and did his best to look anywhere but at Harley or her kiss-bruised, _perfect_ pink mouth. He cursed himself for forgetting in that split second that life hadn't pushed them together because they were in love, she was there because he was supposed to be keeping her safe, not shoving his tongue down her throat.

"I'm sorry. That shouldn't have _ever _happened. I am so sorry." And like that he was gone, practically jogging through the dining room and out the back door, leaving Harley feeling further dejected and wondering why he'd pushed her away this time. She retreated up to her room and took a well-deserved bubble bath, contemplated life until the water turned cold. Elliot returned sometime after she'd crawled into bed, spent from the excitement of her day with Sophie and the emotional havoc Elliot's continued rejection seemed to be causing. She heard his boots on the landing and the soft jiggle of the knob on her door that remained locked.

He'd retreated to the garage and took his frustrations out on the punching bag that hung there until his arms were too heavy to move. He wasn't sure where he'd gone wrong and it wasn't that he hadn't wanted to kiss her; he wanted to kiss her the minute he saw her sitting in that holding cell. He'd expected her to push him away, punch him in the face, or call him a bastard. Instead she'd kissed him back with all the passion he'd wished for. But still he was twisted inside, fighting between the voice that told him that he could never make her happy and the voice that just wanted to try. _Screw it._

By the time he'd made up his mind, deciding that he'd just tell her exactly how he felt and let her choose, it was late and she had gone to bed. He stood outside the door for a long time, playing what he planned on saying over and over again in his head before he reached for the knob. But he never knocked, taking the locked door as her answer instead.


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 9 Recap:_

_By the time he'd made up his mind, deciding that he'd just tell her exactly how he felt and let her choose, it was late and she had gone to bed. He stood outside the door for a long time, playing what he planned on saying over and over again in his head before he reached for the knob. But he never knocked, taking the locked door as her answer instead. _

Chapter 10

The team had been working locally so Harley was confined to the office while everyone else was out doing _whatever _it was that they did. Which was fine with Harley because she wasn't on the receiving end of Elliot's _mood_. After Friday night, Elliot was more testy than usual, not only with Harley but the entire team was at the whim of his irritation. By Monday morning as she stood in front of the mirror looking over the outfit she'd chosen for the 10th time she felt the butterflies in her nervous stomach take flight when she heard him rapping against her bedroom door, adding to Harley's continuous state of dread at attending her meeting at the University with Elliot in tow.

When she finally opened the door he was leaning against the door frame and in his dark washed jeans and black and white pin-striped dress shirt he looked ready to play his part. She tried to ignore how handsome he looked with his hair tied back like that or that in her dark slacks and flowing white top it looked as if they had been trying to match. They were almost out the door when Nate called and requested Elliot's attendance at the office. "Can't this wait?" "Okay, I'll be there in 20."

As he disconnected the call he could feel Harley's disappointment, she'd spent most of the weekend preparing for this meeting, which had to be nearly impossible since all of her other Master's level work had a dead woman's name on it. Although she was completely capable of doing this on her own he had been looking forward to spending the day with her as husband and wife not as two strangers who have spent the last several days avoiding each other. He slid his phone down in his back pocket and walked over to the key box on the wall and pulled out 2 keys putting one on the key ring of the other before handing them to Harley.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to do this solo. Nate's got his panties in a bunch 'bout somethin. Take the Charger, text me when you get there, when you're done and let me know if you're going to the office or comin' home." He walked over to the truck at the far end of the garage and climbed up in the driver's seat. Harley stood on the steps looking a little stunned as he spoke, she had resolved herself to doing this as a duo and regardless of the train wreck their current relationship was, at least he was going to be there to back her up, now she was on her own.

When he reached out to pull the driver's door closed he called to Harley. "You're gonna do great. Be careful." He waited for her to acknowledge him before he started the engine and backed out, tires squealing against the pavement as he left the cul-de-sac.

Harley made it to the University without many problems, except for the trembling in her hands that continued from the parking lot to the Admissions office and then back again after the meeting was over. She'd been so afraid that she'd slip and use the wrong name, or bring up something that she couldn't deliver or that she would just genuinely look like an idiot in front the department head and he'd throw her out on her ass. But as she trotted towards the parking lot, even without knowing for sure whether she'd been accepted into the program she felt lighter somehow, knowing that she'd done her best and that would have to be enough. She was lost in thought as she rounded the end of the car and seeing a man leaning up against the driver's door stopped her cold.

"How long have you been standing out here like a creeper?" She asked Elliot, as he pushed off of the car with a shrug still chewing on the sandwich he had in his hands. His hands too occupied to fend her off when she took a big bite herself before she unlocked the car and tossed her computer bag into the passenger seat.

"Not long. I went up and saw you were still in Dr. what's-her-faces office so I just thought I'd wait. Hungry?" He held up a second sandwich that he'd picked up for her on his way over from the office. She'd been too nervous to enjoy her breakfast and he thought by now she'd be borderline catatonic.

"His." She replied, accepting the neatly wrapped square of butcher paper from him, unwrapping it and devouring it in only a few bites.

"Huh?"

"Dr. What's-_his_-face."

"Ah." _Awesome._ "So? How'd it go?"

"I feel like it went okay, he said I'd hear somethin' in a couple days." Harley shrugged it off, she was determined to not fret even though she deserved to be worked up about something in her life at this point but _this _wasn't going to be it. "So did you think I'd skip town or that the boogey-man would get me before I got back?"

His eyes had been hidden behind his sunglasses but he slipped them off and hooked the ear piece onto his shirt pocket. "Maybe a little of both."

"An honest answer for once, whoa." She'd done her best to play off what had happened between them, but it hurt and she had a hard time forgetting it. Besides, he'd walked around all weekend like a bear with a thorn in his paw, like she'd rejected _him _and she was quite frankly sick of it. "So what now, Warden?"

He'd been preparing to apologize for the kiss, for acting like an ass, all of it. But she was acting like he had her here against her will. Like she was here on vacation and he was interrupting her beach time. _She's acting like a fucking brat. _"Listen, Harley…" But she held her hand up, stopping him as she pulled the driver's door open, preparing to put a little distance between her and whatever yarn he was about to spin.

"Save it. Whatever you're sellin' today I ain't buyin'." And with her parting words she slammed the door and backed out of the spot, not giving him any time to re-coop. She was heading towards the housing development when her phone alerted to a new message.

"_Goin' out of town for a few days. Pack for warm weather. I'll be there to get you in an hour."_

Harley squeezed the phone in her palm tightly as she sat in the front seat of the car, now parked safely in the garage. She closed her eyes and lay her head back on the headrest. She wanted to cry, wanted to scream, but she didn't. Instead she went inside and packed and waited by the door for Elliot to come home like an obedient wife, or _a whipped pup_. In her head she knew she should be grateful for everything he'd done for her, for trying to keep her safe, for not making her cancel her appointment this morning when he no-longer was able to go with her. Everything he'd done so far made her think that he cared for her on more than a basic human level, but still her heart ached. She was passed hurt, she was angry at him for coming for her at all, and then for shoving her away at the most honest moment they'd had, ever.

By the time she heard the garage door open she knew that whatever happen from here on out was for her. She couldn't spend her whole life wishing for something that wasn't meant to be and the last thing she needed right now was for her life to be _more _complicated. She had to focus: focus on her education, focus on helping Alec at the bar, and focus on staying alive. Anything but her traitorous heart, or how tired and completely broken she felt. _I'm damaged goods. He wouldn't want me anyway._


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter 10 Re-cap:_

_By the time she heard the garage door engage she knew that whatever happen from here on out was for her. She couldn't spend her whole life wishing for something that wasn't meant to be and the last thing she needed right now was for her life to become more complicated. She had to focus: focus on her education, focus on helping Alec at the bar, and focus on staying alive. Anything but her traitorous heart, or how tired and completely broken she felt. I'm damaged goods, he wouldn't want me anyway._

Chapter 11

The team had taken a job down south, but for Harley it was mostly just splitting her time between the hotel room and the rental van that Hardison called home. It was a painful existence for someone who was used to being busy. After all, there is only so much day time television that you can watch before you start thinking about going out the window and by the 3rd day Lucy Belle (Lucille's Southern Cousin) was starting to smell a little funky. But Harley found watching the team work to be fascinating on a visceral level, watching all of these people that she thought she knew a little about pretending to be someone else entirely, especially Elliot.

It all seemed so complicated, but every evening Elliot would come back to the room and act like it was just another day at the office, if he _had_ an office and not a stinky van. They never discussed what had gone on during the day, even when Harley had been in the van and had seen and heard more than her share, they never talked about it. Her only admission to seeing his part of the con was when she would tossed him the occasional pre-made ice pack after a particularly _active _day for the hitter. 

They had gathered in the suite shared by Nate and Sophie one afternoon for a quick briefing. Harley sat at the table in the breakfast area with her ear buds in, attempting to remain a benign party to the teams meeting when she felt someone tug on her headphone cord. She had expected to see Elliot or Hardison standing there, but when she turned and it was Nate who was vying for her attention she pulled out the other earbud and started gathering up her things, expecting to be asked to leave the room. "Lemme just grab my stuff and I'll be out of your way."

"Actually, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind joining us for a moment."

"Ya, sure." She didn't know what exactly she had missed but everyone looked on edge, especially Elliot who was red-faced and immovable, standing off to the side with his arms crossed. "What's up?"

Nate, ever stoic and unreadable stood in front of her. "_We _need your help." He emphasized the "we" looking over at Elliot as he said it, and he obviously knew that it was directed towards him because he huffed, muttering as he stomped out of the room, slamming the door as he went.

"He said he was going to change." Parker mumbled from somewhere behind them with a mouthful of something crunchy muffling the sound.

"Well good. That means he's on board then."

Harley felt uncomfortable that Elliot had just left her like that with no explanation, but they hadn't exactly been on speaking terms for most of this trip. In fact, their method of communication went from muted nodding to an occasional grunt on a good day. She slid her palms into the back pockets of her jeans and shifted from one foot to the other nervously under the collective stare of the team.

"We encountered an _issue _today and essentially the four of us are no longer able to work towards our goal. We know that we can wrap this job up tonight, but Elliot can't do it on his own and that is where you come in."

"What do you need me to do?"

"It's actually quite simple…" Nate paused as the lock on the door disengaged and Elliot came back in, now dressed in a suit, looking much more sophisticated businessman than debonair cowboy, with the exception of his tie was in his hand and his dress shirt wasn't buttoned all the way to the top leaving his chest partly exposed.

"We're bait." Elliot said, tugging at his cufflinks. There were few things that he had pure hatred for beside guns but wearing a suit was a close second. And he hated even more that Nate thought the only way out of their current predicament was to bring Harley into the mess. The other four had burned their covers prematurely and even though they knew where the money was being kept they had to be able to get to it. And that's where he and now, Harley, came in. The mark expected Elliot to go after the money, but that was no longer in the cards.

Harley sighed at Elliot's cut and dry assertion, noting the animosity ting to his words. "Do you mind if I have a words with my _husband_."

Nate nodded, watching as Harley motioned for Elliot to follow her out into the hall. She leaned against the wall on the opposite side of the hall, arms crossed over her chest as she watched him stalk out behind her and pull the door shut, his posture mirroring her own. They stood like that for a while, pondering each other before both decided in the same beat to break the silence.

"What do…"

"I…"

They shared an uncomfortable laugh before Elliot gestured for her to go first, crossing his arms back as he waited. Harley raked her fingers through her tresses fisting the curls at the top of her head as she gathered her thoughts. "If you don't want me to help tonight I won't. We can let this be one of those things you don't like to tell me about."

Elliot stared at her as she spoke, it had been so long since she'd wanted to say anything to him that he felt like he needed to absorb her words, savor them. He took in her body language, the vulnerability she always tries to hide was peeking through. He glanced one way down the hall and then back down the other before he answered her. "I don't like the idea of putting you harm's way for a job that _we _screwed up."

Her eyebrows shot up, "Think maybe you could have just said that instead of acting like a big baby?"

"You just don't get it do you? I'm trying to keep you safe!" His voice rose an octave, booming over her causing Harley to flinch at the change in his demeanor. He immediately felt worse, it wasn't her fault that the job had gone wrong. But there was just something about her that always made him crazy, like he'll never be able to do the right thing in her eyes.

Her voice came out in a soft whisper that still managed to echo down the hall. She tried to keep her own temper in check, knowing that if they both snapped then they wouldn't accomplish anything but she could feel her resolve slipping. "You're right, Elliot. I don't get it. All I've done is sit around being a burden to the team, to you. But, I'll just go tell them no and ya'll can figure it out on your own while I go play Farmville."

She reached for the door handle realizing she would have to brush passed him to get back into the room, something she wished she had planned for earlier. Harley knew that they rarely agreed on anything and so going out without an escape route had been a shrewd move on her part. She was almost in the clear when his arm shot out, blocking her entry back into the room and pushing her back against the wall with the weight of his body holding her in place. His face was inches away from hers, his warm breath washing over her face. His expression was hard set but his eyes were full of emotion she couldn't place with him yet, maybe it was anger, maybe it was something else. But this time his voice was a low rumble, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end as well as some other body parts.

"You are a royal pain in my ass ya know that?"

"The feeling's mutual pal." She lay her hands on his torso, trying to give herself some room but the move was fruitless; the man is solid muscle and he wasn't going to waiver and the body heat radiating between them from the extra contact made her dizzy.

"Who's acting like a baby now?"

Harley knew he was trying to goad her into a fight but she couldn't help biting back. "Just taking a play out of your play book. Seems to serve you well to run off when things get tough."

"Ya and every time I do I live to regret it." He smacked the wall next to her head before pushing off and trudging back into the hotel room.

"She's in. Let's get goin'." He added as he plopped down on the couch, his eyes boring into her as she crossed over the threshold. His comment was met by a look of incredulity because she was pretty sure the conversation they just had was a "no" on helping but somewhere between calling her names and rubbing up against her in the hallway he changed his mind.

"Ya, sounds like fun." Harley regretted the words as quickly as she said them because she was led away by Sophie who had a twinkle in her that bordered on sadistic.

An hour later she was plucked, polished, powdered, and poured into a beautiful strapless red dress with a jewel encrusted neckline that she, under normal circumstances, wouldn't be caught dead in. Harley stood in front of the full length mirror in Sophie's closet as Parker sat perched on top of the dresser behind her feet swinging back and forth, probably just glad it wasn't her. Harley turned in the mirror so that she could see the back of the dress, wondering who the stranger looking back at her was and how Sophie had gotten the dress to zip since they were nowhere near compatible in size or shape. Harley's hourglass figure having a bit more sand in it than their British friend.

The knock on the door and Sophie's smiling face poked in the open crack of the door meant it must be time to go. Parker hopped down and led the way to where the boys were waiting for the big unveiling, Elliot kicked back on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table looking pained as Harley stepped out from behind Parker.

She grumbled as she accepted the three inch heels Sophie had chosen to match the dress. Harley leaned over, as much as she could in the dress, accepting Hardison's arm to steady herself as she slipped into the shoes, praying as she did that she wouldn't break her ankle or her neck. "I'm starting to think you're tryin' to kill me, Soph."

Elliot sat there stunned, taking in the view before him. Though always beautiful, he'd never even envisioned her looking like this. The vibrant red of the dress made her auburn locks glow and the tight bodice displaying her curves like the dress was made for her. While the heels made her much taller, she was still short enough for him to enjoy the view. _I'm still a man after all_

"Don't be absurd. You look stunning. Isn't that right, Elliot?" Sophie turned to Elliot as she motioned for him to stand, the look in her eyes saying _"don't fuck this up"_. Sheadjusted his black tie, adding a ruby pin before handing him a velvet necklace box, nudging him with her elbow as she did.

"Ya. Yes. Gorgeous." He stammered as he opened the box, hoping to buy enough time for the blood to return to his brain so he wouldn't sound like a fool the rest of the evening. He turned the box outward, showing the delicate ruby and diamond necklace to Harley as he did. She ran her hand down the smooth edges of the jewels before Elliot retrieved it and stepped around her, his fingertips skimming over the pulse points of her neck as he clasped the chain together.

He thought he might not be able to get the clasp hooked at all once he saw the goose bumps forming on her bare shoulders where his hand had brushed; his palms suddenly sweaty as he finished his task, stepping away to admire…his work. The sound of Nate clearing his throat brought Elliot's thoughts out of his pants and back to the task at hand, they still had a job to do.

As Harley slipped in the dangling diamond earrings to complete her ensemble Hardison waited patiently to hand her a newly pressed earbud explaining to her that all she had to do was whisper and everyone would be able to hear her. "Welcome to the team."

"No, uh uh, this is _not _welcome to the team. This is one-time only. She ain't like us."

Harley rolled her eyes at his description of her, she wasn't sure what "like us" entailed but she didn't feel like it was a compliment but she'd have to let that one go for now. Smiling up at Hardison she thanked him for the information as Sophie fussed over her hair and make-up one last time before they were practically shoved out the door by Nate. "Have a good time."


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter 11 Re-Cap:_

"_No, uh uh, this is not welcome to the team. This is one-time only. She ain't like us." _

_Harley rolled her eyes at his description of her, she wasn't sure what "like us" entailed but she didn't feel like it was a compliment but she'd have to let that one go for now. Smiling up at Hardison she thanked him for the information as Sophie fussed over her hair and make-up one last time before they were practically shoved out the door by Nate. "Have a good time."_

Chapter 12

The ride to the restaurant was strained to say the least. The car they rented for the occasion was a sleek black sports car of the likes Harley had never seen and she was afraid to move in fear of snagging the leather. She realized that they must be getting close to their destination because Hardison voice filled her head, causing her to jump having forgotten about the earbud.

"Test, test. Elliot, Harley ya'll hear me?"

"Ya." Was Elliot's only reply. Harley wasn't sure that he'd said anything because hadn't seen his mouth move but she figured he was much more practiced in the art of being heard without actually talking. She chuckled nervously, wondering if he did talk to her sometimes and she just couldn't hear him.

"Good I was starting to wonder if there was something wrong with the earbuds. We couldn't hear anything on your end."

"That's because we ain't sayin' nothing. Don't talk just to hear our own voices like some people." This time she could tell he was talking because the muscles in his jaw tensed. The next voice was Nate, explaining to everyone but especially to a clueless Harley that the idea was just for "Mr. and Mrs. Campbell" to have a nice night out. Explaining further that their mark was under the impression that Elliot was after his money when in all actuality it was Parker who would be going after the money while they were watching Elliot.

"So I'm his alibis?"

"In a sense. You see Mr. Garces has a matching reservation at the restaurant and _obviously _Elliot can't steal from him if they are in the same room the entire evening."

"Oh. You're thieves?" She hadn't meant to say that aloud but if that's your line of work you can't be thin-skinned about it and there was a lit to her voice that kept it from seeming like a dig. It seemed like all the pieces were starting to click for her now; the need for a cover story, the money.

"So Elliot, your _wife _doesn't know what we do?" Nate sounded bewildered as he asked a question he already knew the answer to.

"Can we please just focus?" He ground out as the valet approached the driver's window. _I better get to punch somebody tonight._

"Oh sure. Please excuse me, not like I'm not trying to break into a Glen-reader with a voice activated passcode. Can we please discuss Elliot's strange marriage later?" An obviously agitated Parker spoke up and for once Elliot was glad for her to butt into the middle of a conversation.

After passing the keys off to the valet who didn't look old enough to drive in the first place, Elliot rounded the car at a slow trot, opening the door for Harley and offering her his hand as she stepped out without wobbling or cursing, both of which he'd expected. "Are you ready, _dear_?"

Harley tried not to stare at him but the complete 180 his demeanor and tone of voice took in the time it took for him to get out of the car stilled her movements as he waited patiently with a smirk on his face for her to take his arm. It only took her a split second before she remembered that it was all for the job, not for her. She bypassed his arm and turned to look at him full on a move that, to someone on the outside looking in might have seemed affection. He quirked up an eyebrow but let her continue as she stepped into his personal space, adjusting his tie needlessly until the knot at the top was digging into his adam's apple, patting his chest gently when she was finished. "_Dear_? Don't push it, _honey_."

"Yes, dear." Folding her hand over his forearm and squeezing it firmly he led her to the where the doorman waited for them to enter, thanking the man with a monetary donation to his jacket pocket as they passed. As they waited for the hostess to seat them, Elliot leaned in and pressed his lips against her temple and whispered, "Relax will ya? Your fingernails are digging into my arm. It's dinner not the dentist." He took her hand this time following the hostess to a well-lit table in the middle of the room, probably the worst table in the house as far as an intimate dinner for two but perfect if you want to be noticed.

They ate in relative silence, Harley having issue with all the voices in her head as they listened to Parker break into Garces' office and remove him from his net worth before he'd even made a selection from the wine list. But by the time their main course arrived Parker had made it safely out of the office and the building and the remaining four members of the team were on their way back to the hotel.

When he was certain they were all safe, Elliot reached out to Harley, his hand caressing her earlobe before running his fingers down her bare arm. "Go ahead and take that thing out now. It's stressing me out just watching you."

Harley reached up to scratch her ear, dragging the ear bud out and slipping it into her clutch. "What do you mean?"

"You tense up whenever someone talks. When Parker said she was out of the building I thought you were gonna fall out of the chair."

"Sorry." Harley's cheeks turning a pink shade as she looked back down at her plate, mostly untouched since she found it difficult to concentrate on anything besides the commentary from the other side of town.

"Nothing to be sorry for. It takes a while to get used to having four other people in your head." He sipped from his champagne glass as he watched the events unfolding across the room.

"Some people take medicine for that you know." But her comment fell on deaf ears, Elliot's eyes were locked on something else in the room.

"Mr. Garces was just informed of a break in at his office." Elliot's voice was loud enough for Harley to hear that time, but his words weren't meant for her.

Harley followed Elliot's eye line, "How can you tell?" But when her eyes met the man in question she saw that it didn't take a mind reader to figure out what was happen in Mr. Garces' head. The man looked horrified and mystified all at the same time, probably wondering how Elliot could have stolen his money and never left the room. "Oh."

Elliot tapped his glass against hers in a mock toast. "To a job well done."

"I have a question."

_For Christ's sake._

Harley glanced around the room before leaning over to whisper in his ear, steading herself with her palm on Elliot's thigh. "So that guy thought you were going after his money, but _you_ didn't. But he probably still thinks you're involved, right? Don't you think he'll just follow us when we leave or wait for us outside? Just sayin' that's what I would do."

_Ah crap. _

Elliot rolled his eyes as Hardison chuckled into the com, "I think Elliot can handle it."

But Harley didn't hear that part, having discarded her earbud already and accepted the eye roll as her answer to a stupid question. "My bad. Sorry." Harley righted herself in the chair and took several long, un-lady like gulps of her champagne flute, draining it and then refilling it from the bottle left chilling in the ice bucket at the end of the table. When that glass was gone, Harley excused herself to go to the restroom, needing a mental break rather than a physical one.

Being the terminal gentlemen Elliot stood to help her out of her chair, retrieving her abandoned clutch from the table and passing it to her. "Put your comm back in. We'll be leaving soon."

She had slipped her earbud back in and was in the process of touching up her make-up for no reason other than to kill time, in no rush to return to the awkward dinner Elliot seemed to be enjoying by the loud chewing that was starting wear on her last nerve. She was seconds away from berating him when Nate's voice called out to her. "Harley, just a heads up Mrs. Garces is headed your way. Don't acknowledge her, just act normal." She and Elliot both snorted at the absurdity of his comment, considering her normal was probably just opposite of what he wanted her to do.

But when the door to the ladies room opened she managed to only glance quickly at the woman in the mirror, a young Hispanic woman who looked to be closer to Harley's age than the middle-aged businessman's, before returning to her task. The woman took up residence next to Harley at the counter, re-painting already perfectly painted red lips. "Senora Campbell?"

"Oh shit." She heard Hardison laugh out and Elliot sigh heavily as she looked over at the other woman, attempting to register no recognition. "I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

"No you don't. Please don't take this the wrong way Senora, but your husband is a very handsome man."

"Uh…Thank you. I think." Harley wasn't sure what exactly Mrs. Garces was getting at, but that didn't stop her stomach from dropping as the woman closed her bag and turned to face her, no longer just watching her in the mirror.

"A word of advice, if you don't mind. Your husband is not faithful to you and in my experience any man who can cheat on women like _us_ is a dangerous man because he is capable of anything. Be careful."

With her parting words Mrs. Garces turned and exited, her hips swaying a bit more than they had as she entered. Harley found herself gripping tightly to the edge of the counter, trying to get her bearings and realizing that there were 5 people hanging on whatever she might say next. But she found it especially disorienting that absolutely no one had said a word or come to Elliot's defense. Proving only that her warning hadn't been a friendly caveated but a jilted woman getting a dig in. _Man, this just keeps getting better and better. _

The radio silence continued for a minute more until Mrs. Garces stopped at Elliot's table, saying something in Spanish that didn't require a translator for anyone within earshot to get the gist of her innuendo. Well, except for Hardison. "Ya'll nasty. You know what she said? She said…"

"Dammit, Hardison."

"Oh... My bad, man. Sorry."

Elliot huffed before reporting that Mr. and Mrs. Garces had left the building and calling Harley out on her record for the world's longest and most embarrassing trip to the ladies room. "Harley Jo, you've got 90 seconds. 91 seconds from now I'll drag you out of there and don't think for a _fucking _second that I won't."

Harley thought about just letting him come into the ladies room and make a scene but she'd had enough humiliation for one evening and decided against it. After all, the only person who had egg on their face was her. She pasted on her best fake smile and sauntered back to the table with her back straight and her head held as high as she could muster. She downed the now warm glass of champagne she'd left behind earlier. "Can we go?" She asked no one in particular, finding something interesting on the table to look at instead of Elliot who now seemed too close for comfort.

When Hardison called back that he was tracking Garces and it did seem that he and all of his goons were on their way back across town, most likely to assess the damage a crazy blonde cat-burglar had done to his wall safe. In her words, "Who needs voice codes when you have plastic explosive?" Elliot and Harley took that as their cue to get out while the getting was good, Elliot taking care of the bill while Harley went to the valet station so they wouldn't have to wait for the car to be brought around.

The pained look on Harley's face didn't go un-noticed by Elliot when he exited the restaurant but she said nothing, letting him get her door and help her into the car mutedly. Which is how the rest of the ride back to the hotel was because shortly after they left he curb Harley removed her comm and put it back in her bag. Her head was feeling crowded enough without the additional chao of 5 other voices but she did listen to Elliot's side of the conversation, or enough of it to know they were expected back in Nate and Sophie's suite for a wrap session before they would be released to go to bed.

When they pulled into the parking garage at the hotel Elliot took out his own comm and placed it in the front pocket of his jacket before loosen his tie. He turned to face Harley much like he'd done the day they'd arrived in Portland and feeling much in the same way as then, anxious. He thought about reaching out to her, trying to soothe her somehow but he thought better of it, not even sure what he was feeling let alone what he would say about what she was feeling. "Say something will ya."

She reached for the passengers door handle and in one swift movement she was out of the car, "Besar mi culo, Spencer."


	13. Chapter 13

_Chapter 12 Re-Cap:_

_When they pulled into the parking garage at the hotel Elliot took out his own comm and placed it in the front pocket of his jacket before loosen his tie. He turned to face Harley much like he'd done the day they'd arrived in Portland and feeling much in the same way as then, anxious. He thought about reaching out to her, trying to soothe her somehow but he thought better of it, not even sure what he was feeling let alone what he would say about what she was feeling. "Say something will ya." _

_She reached for the passengers door handle and in one swift movement she was out of the car, "Besar mi culo, Spencer."_

Chapter 13

Harley's heels pounded against the concrete as she tried to outpace Elliot as she headed for the door leading into the hotel lobby. She was doing her best to put distance between them but it probably looked more like she was running for her life. Her chest constricted as she thought about her evening; she felt stupid and naive. She'd let herself believe that whatever she and Elliot had, their "marriage" might actually work to her benefit. And even though she'd known that _whatever_ he and the soon-to-be former Mrs. Garces had shared had been for the job she still felt embarrassed; humiliated by the fact that the entire team had heard her get schooled by some gold digger. Even if he had told her about the job she figured the part about seducing the mark's wife probably wouldn't be at the top of his list of items to disclose.

"God dammit, Harley. Stop!" He called out as his hand wrapped around her wrist spinning her around to face him. He gave himself bonus points for catching her left fist before it connected with his nose. "Will you just fucking stop for a minute and tell me what's wrong."

"You're completely serious aren't you?! I look like a complete asshole. It was for a job, I know but didn't you think at _any _fucking point it might have been a useful piece of information. I don't know maybe right before she cornered me in the bathroom, the woman wanted to dig my eyeballs out with her French manicure and you just sat there like it was just another Friday night in _Spencer land_."

"She wasn't going to…"

"Your entire team is probably up there talking about how "stupid Harley" didn't know her _husband _was putting it to Garces' old lady."

"They..." "I…"

"Fine, ya know what, I get it. This isn't a real marriage, but is it so much to ask for you to not make me look like a god-dammed door mat in front of the only "friends" I'm allowed. I have a tiny, little bit of pride left and I'd like to hold onto it if that's alright with you."

She was talking with her hands, swinging them around and using "air quotes" for emphasis, she even stomped her foot at him a couple of times for good measure and all he could think was how hot she looked when she was all fired up. He figured he should probably be trying to follow along with her tirade but every time she started a new sentence her chest heaved and bounced and all he could think about was pushing her against the wall and shutting her mouth with his, testing his theory on whether angry sex was better than make-up sex.

"You're the one who didn't want to know. Remember? You said "remind me of this later when I'm a great big bitch. Well guess what honey…"

"I don't want to know just for the sake of knowing. I _need _to know when it pertains to me, Elliot. You can't shield me from every dark thing in the world, Elliot. I'm not 16 anymore."

"Uh. I…"

"You aren't even listening to me, your staring at my tits. I think we're done here."

She stunned him long enough to get into the elevator alone and when he finally arrived on their floor he was greeted by a hotel room with the dead bolt and security bar on. He pounded on the door, calling for her but it was fruitless. She wasn't going to open the door for him and if he tried to kick the door in it would just cause an even bigger scene than was already taking place, not to mention the rest of the team watching from the crack in the doorway of the suite at the other end of the hall.

"Hey, Elliot. Why don't you just come down here? We need to debrief anyway, and look, beer in the mini bar." The rest of the team looked at Nate strangely but everyone stepped back and made room for the brooding hitter to pass. "What? It worked didn't it?"

After chugging 3 beers Elliot switched to drinking bourbon straight from the bottle but Nate was able to start the teams debriefing without him punching anything, a big feat in the grand scheme of things. He was in the home stretch when the front door beeped and Harley entered now dressed in her street clothes, carrying Sophie's dress and accessories. She didn't speak, only took the items back into the closet and headed for the exit quickly but even in his tipsy state Elliot was still able to beat her to the door his hands held up in a mock surrender only wrapping his hand around her upper arm when she tried to skirt past him. "Whoa. Whoa. Where ya think you're goin'?"

"I'm going to the gym to punch something and then I'm going to the bar to have many alcoholic beverages on your tab because it looks like I'm going to have to catch up. I've got my phone, feel free to track my every move." She pulled the phone out of her back pocket, wagged it at him and then put it back, slipping out of his grasp and out the door. He muttered something about never being able to please her then waited politely until the door clicked before driving his fist into the dry wall.

Taking his frustrations out on the wall seemed to calm him instantly and when he finished dusting himself off he returned the whiskey bottle to the bar before plopping back down on the couch next to Parker. The team looked at him wearily but they were accustomed to Elliot's special brand of therapy and figured it best to just move forward knowing from past experience that he'd spend tomorrow morning patching and painting so that his temper wasn't someone else's burden.

The team meeting ended and Elliot was preparing to head back to their room when he heard hushed voices coming from the other side of the room where the team was now gathered around looking over Hardison's shoulder at something on his laptop. _Dear god, what now. _He massaged his forehead, praying that this disaster of a day would soon end as he joined the group to see what all the commotion was about. He couldn't see the screen from where the girls were perched but he got the gist of the situation just by ease dropping on the conversation.

"See look, he squeezed her knee when she made him laugh and leaned against her shoulder when he was showing her the picture on his phone. Neurolinguistics and flirting go hand in hand, it's all about getting someone to do what you want them to do. Whether it's rob a bank or sex, it's all in the power of suggestion."

"Ya and that pint of Cuervo probably didn't hurt either."

"Touche."

"Maybe we outta say somethin' to Elliot?"

"Say somethin' to Elliot about what?" No one had even noticed the man in question standing nearby and at the boom of his voice Sophie, Nate and Parker stepped back leaving Hardison in the line of fire. Hardison swiveled around to face the hitter, the look of fear crossing his features. "I said we... I didn't mean me. Ya'll suck."

Sophie huffed before muttering something in a heavy accent about a big baby coming to the younger man's aid by stepping in between the men and placing her hands on the hitters folded forearms. "It's nothing. Hardison was just checking the camera feeds and checked in on Harley. She's fine by the way."

"So what was all the talk about knee squeezin' and sex then? Lemme see that, Hardison." He reached down and grabbed the laptop away from Hardison, security feed from the bar cameras still visible.

Hardison had zoomed in on the couple sitting at the bar when he'd pulled it up and if you didn't know any better you'd think he was spying on the first date of a tall, mocha skinned man and shorter, auburn haired woman. The couple sat side by side, sharing a drink and a laugh at the bar, except they weren't a couple and the woman was Elliot's wife. Occasionally the man would reach over and push a lock of hair behind her ear or pat her on the knee, letting his hand linger just a little longer every time. Just from watching the video the man's intentions seemed clear even if Harley showed no interest and when the man lay his arm along the back of her barstool Elliot handed the laptop back to Hardison calmly, thanking him and turned toward away from the group.

They were all sure he was going to blow a gasket but his movements were slow and methodical as he walked back over to the mini bar, pulled the bourbon out and took a long pull off of it before splashing some of it in his palm and rubbing it on his neck and shirt like cologne. When the bottle was back inside the cabinet he shot Sophie a wink. "Neurolinguistics my ass." He crossed the threshold and was out into the hall before anyone moved.

"He was too calm. Creepy calm." Parker said before stepping around Hardison to pull the feed up on the living room television and plopped down on the couch.

"Nate, he's going to kill someone. You should go down there." Sophie pleaded with the mastermind but Nate would not relent, telling her that if it had been something with a job he might but Elliot's personal life was just that and then he took a seat next to Parker on the couch to watch the events unfold in real time from the safety of the 15th floor.

Elliot knew that Hardison would have all the camera feeds pulled up by now wanting to see what the hitter was planning but he really didn't care if they were all watching. What he did care about was the man that thought it was okay to paw on his wo…, Harley without her permission. He thought about the best way to handle the situation, after all the last time they spoke he was working his way through a bottle of bourbon and she was pissed off as hell.

Elliot figured straight forward and honest was always the best approach, but this time he'd need a little finesse, so as he crossed to the bar he stumbled a little, swaying as he went. Sure enough Harley caught the move out of her peripheral vision and snapped her head to the left watching him stagger towards her in what looked like his best attempt to stay upright. As Elliot approached he slapped Harley's new friend on the back forcefully, selling the falling down drunk thing well. "Alright honey parties over. We gotta go." He slurred out as he reached between the bar stools, putting his body between the two of them and retrieving Harley's glass and drank it down in one gulp.

"Oh good. The party poopers here. My god, did you swim in bourbon."

Harley rolled her eyes at him for a good measure and was turning in her chair to flag down the bartender but before she managed it Elliot put his lips to her ear and whispered, "If he touches you again I'm going to remove him from his small intestine and he'll spend the rest of his natural life crappin' in a bag. Let's go, now." He regretted the last part as soon as he said it so he leaned in again, "Please. Please come up stairs with me."

She watched his eyes turn warm under her gaze, realizing in that he was at least trying to not be a jerk. After all he could have just punched the guy and drug her off by her hair like a caveman. _That's probably his backup plan though. _She closed out her tab, said good bye to the overly flirtatious man next to her and did her best "drunk trying to not look drunk" stagger as she let Elliot lead her to the elevator bank. When the door closed and the elevator began to climb she felt a little woozy, leaning back against the cool paneling on the wall and squeezed her eyes closed. "Nuh uh, don't you fall asleep like that. I am _not_ carrying your ass to the room." He said, bumping her shoulder with his.

"Can I ask you something, Spencer?"

"Well since we're back to you callin' me by my last name I guess I ain't got much of a choice."

"Why do you hate me?"

"Wha…I don't hate you, Harley." He sputtered as he tried to find something to say that might sooth her, but his buzz was starting to wear off and his liquor soaked brain couldn't keep up. Hate was a strong word, he didn't hate her. She made him feel crazy and horny and about a million other things he himself wasn't even sure of but he didn't hate her. Hell he might even love her. Reaching past her he smacked the emergency stop button and the elevator froze between floors casting them in darkness before the emergency lights came on.

Her head lolled back and forth against the wall of the elevator but she kept her eyes closed. She wanted to hear the answer before the tears that she'd been fighting for most of the evening came. They were stinging her eyes but soon they would fight their way out and she soon she would be reduced to a blubbering mess. "I'm serious. I wanna know. Don't worry about hurting my feelings, we're _way _past that now."

"Harley, your drunk. Why don't we talk about this tomorrow?"

"If I wait until tomorrow I'll lose my nerve. Please just listen. Is it because I remind you of Will or of who you used to be? Or am I just that unlikable? Because I've been told that before. I know I'm stubborn and hard to get along with but I can't help it. I really can't. I know I shouldn't care what other people think about me but it would be nice if just one person that loved me didn't die."

The last part had been a mere whisper, almost like she hadn't intended for it to come out at all. At her words Elliot felt his heart clench. She'd been on her own for so long it was second nature but he knew from experience how lonely it could really be when you go off into the world on your own. _Or when you're forced out into it. _

"You forgot that you also tend to ramble and you're a pain the ass."

She rolled her head to the left and smiled, her eyes still closed and fighting back the tears but she could feel his gaze on her. There was something about him, he kept her off balance most of the time but she could always tell when he was near or when he was watching her. When she opened her eyes his icy blue orbs were staring down at her, peering directly into the darkness of her soul and the fierceness in his gaze made her mouth go dry. She ran her tongue across her lips, nibbling slightly on the corner of her mouth out of nervousness and it was ultimately that one move that would be his undoing.

"A couple of things. 1. I didn't sleep with her. 2. Yes, you remind me of Will. Every time I look at you I see him and sometimes that's hard for me. 3. I hate myself more than I could ever hate you. 4. I'm trying to be good here but if you lick your lips like that again in my presence I won't be responsible for what happens." When he finished his countdown he was standing in front of her, his body rigid and his pupils were dilated making his blue eyes glow. He was so close that his breath mingled with hers and she sucked her bottom lip in and bit down on it, heeding his warning. He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers chastely before starting the elevator, the emergency lights giving way to the regular ones and a few seconds later the doors opened to their floor.

It wasn't until they were inside their room that Harley managed to bring her eyes back up to his, even in her inebriated state she knew how much it took for him to verbalize his feelings. She hated that she'd forced him to do that but she had to ask, had to know whether it was his own grief that kept her at arm's length or something else.

They quietly went about their bed time routine, Elliot retreating into the in suite bath as soon as the door was closed. He spent an extra-long time brushing his teeth and staring at himself in the mirror wishing he knew what she was thinking, wishing she could see herself as he does and then maybe she wouldn't always make him feel like a teenager on prom night. He chastised himself for hiding in the bathroom but just as he emerged he regretted not waiting just one more minute. As he rounded the corner Harley was slipping one of his well-worn t-shirts on over her head, her bare back and lace covered backside exposed to him. He felt like someone had punched him in the stomach and was suddenly light headed from all the blood in his body marching southward. His throat was arid and when he coughed she turned around to face him, tugging the shirt just over the soft planes of her stomach as she did.

Harley smiled sheepishly when he caught her borrowing one of his shirts to sleep in, truthfully she had plenty of clothes to sleep in but it smelled like him and made her feel safe. She could have just told him that but instead she heard another lie fall out of her mouth instead. _Damn tequila. _ "Sorry, I'm out of clothes. I guess it's a good thing we're going ho…back tomorrow."

_Home. She almost said home. _He stood frozen in the hallway taking a visual inventory of her. She'd freed her hair from the pins and it was back to its untamed state and her face was flush from the alcohol. _Or maybe from me staring at her like an idiot. _"That shirt has never looked that good on me."

When her eyes darted back down to her feet the spell was broken and he slid under the covers and turned away from her. "We have an early flight so I set the alarm for 6. Good night, Har."

When he heard the bathroom door close behind her he spent the next few minutes berating himself silently. He held himself below contempt for continuing to lead her on and then push her away, _again. You want her or you don't? You love her or you don't? You can't keep kissing her and then turning your back on her. How much more do you think she'll take from you?_

He heard her emerge a little while later and he couldn't help but smile into the dimly lit room when she collided with an end table and cussed it up one side and down the other before crawling into bed. It was an unspoken rule that he always slept closest to the door and it was one of the million little things that he did that made her feel safe and he probably didn't even realize it. She let the booze talk her into slipping in behind him and wrapping her arm around his bare torso, feeling the heat of his body against her cooler extremities. She hoped it wouldn't damage his libido too much to be the little spoon but she needed to feel him near her tonight and to hell with letting him make the first move. She kissed him just below his ear his stubble tickling her nose, before snuggling in further she whispered, "Good night, Elliot."


	14. Chapter 14

_Chapter 13 Re-cap:_

_He heard her emerge a little while later and he couldn't help but smile into the dimly lit room when she collided with an end table and cussed it up one side and down the other before crawling into bed. It was an unspoken rule that he always slept closest to the door and it was one of the million little things that he did that made her feel safe and he probably didn't even realize it. She let the booze talk her into slipping in behind him and wrapping her arm around his bare torso, feeling the heat of his body against her cooler extremities. She hoped it wouldn't damage his libido too much to be the little spoon but she needed to feel him near her tonight and to hell with letting him make the first move. She kissed him just below his ear his stubble tickling her nose, before snuggling in further she whispered, "Good night, Elliot."_

Chapter 14

Over the next couple of months the Spencer's worked to find their new normal. Harley started taking classes and in between that and helping Hardison and Elliot run the Brew Pub she had time for little else. Her advisor was concerned about her getting caught up to the rest of her cohort and the payroll records and invoice documentation for the Brewery were all over the place. The man was fantastic with "creating" financial information, but managing it? Not so much. On more than one occasion Elliot found her fast asleep in the office with her head in her accounting book. Harley felt exhausted in the best way.

Perhaps thought it was Elliot who found it the hardest to adjust. The first few weeks they'd spent every waking moment together but now she was busy and he was busy, separately. Most days he saw her first thing in the morning as she filled her travel mug before heading out the door and then she would appear again after class. He found it hard to be away from her and had finally convinced himself that it would be alright if he sent her a message or two during the day, just to check in of course. They did have a standing dinner date as well, one of them would cook or they would go out or have dinner at the pub with the team when they weren't working.

Elliot was starting to feel practically domestic, especially the day he came home and found her folding _his_ laundry while watching _Ellen _on her one day off and when he'd asked her about it she said just said something off-handed like, "What? You're busy. The last thing you should have to worry about is clean underwear."

But the day he'd dreaded most finally came when the first out of town job they took was going to be a doozy and Nate thought it would take at least two weeks from start to finish. It had taken Elliot two calls to the LT and a few other calls to contacts he wouldn't call my name before he felt comfortable leaving her behind even overnight. Truly he wasn't even comfortable then but he couldn't argue otherwise, no one was looking for her and it wasn't always safe or convenient for her to tag along on their jobs.

She sat at the work table in the team's office with her chin resting on her folded arms and listened to Elliot's "safety and security" speech for the third time before they left to meet with the client and do preliminaries. He'd already stocked up the fridge, put gas in the car, and changed the batteries in all the smoke detectors before he would pack his bag. She'd tuned out a long time ago but still he insisted on driving home the point.

"And finally, if you see anything out of the ordinary please call me. Even if you think it's nothing I'd rather know. Alright? Please Harley, be careful while we're gone. Only here, school, or home and if you have to go anywhere else or need anything I want to know about it."

"I promise not to stay out late on a school night or put my feet on the furniture and if we run out of milk you'll be the first to know. Anything else?"

Elliot huffed, his eyes rolling upward subconsciously as he closed the space between them and squatted down at the end of the table next to her. He ran his thumb across her cheek and forced her to look at him. "Help me out her will ya? I don't feel good about this and I need to know you'll be safe."

The genuine concern in his eyes and she figured she might as well stop giving him such a hard time. She placed her hand over the one he held against her face and squeezed slightly. "_I _should be worrying about you. Not the other way around. A paper cut is the worst thing that might happen to me. Come home in one piece."

Elliot felt his heart swell and stutter against his rib cage, as she'd nuzzled her face into his hand at her cheek and all he could think about in that moment was kissing that look of her face. He lay his un-occupied hand on the base of her neck, stroking the spot under ear with his calloused thumb he said softly, "No promises. But I'll try to bring all the pieces back with me at least."

She wasn't sure but it felt like he was leaning it closer to her if only a fraction at a time. She realized she'd been holding her breath when he was about half the distance than before, moving in slower than slow, _painfully slow. _Harley closed her eyes and waited to feel his lips against hers but the moment never came. He lay his forehead against her now much warmer one before pulling back quickly, his voice full of concern has he lay the back of his hand on her face. "You're awful warm, darlin'. You feelin' alright?"

Harley's eyes flew open at his words, she knew that she must be looking at him strangely but could he really be that dense? Her words and movements were rushed as she pushed to stand and stepped away from the intimate embrace that was heading down hill fast. "I'm fine. You should get goin'."

He watched her with his eyebrows quirked upward, wondering what he had missed as he turned for the door. "Ya, okay. I'll see ya." And without a second thought, he was gone.

Over the next week Harley spent most of her time at the brewery, finding Elliot's house too empty without him there. And even worked a couple of nights behind the bar when the schedule had come up shorthanded and she'd enjoyed visiting with the customers. She'd been washing glasses one quiet evening late in the week when a feminine voice cleared behind her in a less than subtle attempt at gain her attention. The woman was an athletically built brunette who looked like she had better things to do with her time.

"Can I help you?" Harley asked, drying her hands on the bar towel as she turned to face the woman and tossing it back onto her right shoulder.

"I'm looking for Elliot." She tugged her blazer tighter around her as she glanced uneasily around the room.

"I'm sorry. He's out of town. Would you like to leave a message? He tends to check in from time to time." Harley stepped closer to the bar and darted her eyes around quickly trying to spot anything that might be making the woman uncomfortable but the pub was relatively quiet this early in the day, only a couple of regulars and staff milling around.

"Hmmm… we'll since he isn't returning calls then I guess that'll have to do." The woman mumbled to herself accepting the pen and small napkin and quickly scribbled her name and digits before returning it. The jaded tone registering with Harley that this woman wasn't a client, she was a girlfriend. _Maybe I should start a club or a support group or something. _

"Okay, I'll see that he gets this. Anything else I can do for you while you're here? A drink maybe?" She offered but hoped that Carrie, with a heart over the "i", would decline.

"Actually, a martini would be lovely." Carrie climbed onto the barstool nearest to Harley, her posture stone straight and her perfectly powdered face a picture of disappointment as she checked her cell phone and then slid it back down in her clutch.

_Me and my big mouth, _Harley thought as she skewered two olives and dropped them down in the glass and presented it to her, flipping over a Bridgeport coaster and couple napkins. "It's on me." She said with a lukewarm smile and turned back to dry the sink and worked to appear busy, hoping that the gin and vermouth wouldn't make Carrie gabby, the last thing she wanted to do was become _BFF's _with Elliot's flavor of the week.

"Have you been working here long? I don't think I've seen you before."

_Son of a bitch. _"Not long. No." She called over her shoulder, carrying the glasses and mugs from station to station. There was something about the woman's appraisal that made her uncomfortable. It wasn't just that she was seeking out Elliot, it was more about the way she carried herself. Like she held herself above the pub, above sitting at a bar, above her. When Harley came back from the other end of the bar, she had drained her glass and seemed to be in deep contemplation internally weighing whether to ask another question when Hardison called to her from the office door, the look on his face one of distorted awkwardness. Excusing herself she headed around the end of the bar and met the younger man at the threshold.

"I'm not sure if you meant that as a save or not, but thank you anyway." Harley muttered, slipping her palms into the back pockets of her jeans as she shifting her weight from foot to foot, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Just checking in. You looked uncomfortable." His voice was kept low as he thumbed over his shoulder to his workspace and she could see the security feed of the bar on one of the monitors.

"I'm fine. Anything else?" She spun her wedding rings around and around before glancing back toward the bar when the bell above the door sounded, signaling that the dinner shift was about to begin.

"She's looking for El?" His voice dropped an octave as he watched her squirm under his gaze. Harley knew it wasn't a question but nodded an affirmative anyway. "You alright?" Also not a question but this time she only shrugged, "alright" was relative. She still found relying on him or _his _team a difficult concept and admitting that she was feeling insecure was more than she was willing to do after only a few weeks. At that moment Harley's stomach flopped, leaving her feeling nauseated and empty, a harsh reminder that she hadn't eaten since breakfast and bringing her back to the task at hand. Which now included a round for Carrie and the friends she must have invited to join her when her earlier mission had crashed and burned. Only a little while later they decided on a table instead of staying at the bar and soon their party was someone else's problem.

For a Thursday night the dinner crowd was raucous, there were three different games on as many monitors that Elliot had insisted they install and fans of varied shape and size filled the tables and booths, an occasional cheer or jeer heard throughout the room. Around sunset the bar was full and so were most of the patrons, including Carrie and her friends. There was even one point when Adam, the bar manager, was pouring drinks and Hardison had come out of hiding to help buss tables when the turn over got out of hand. By the time the games were ending and the crowd began to thin her feet aches as if she had walked 10 miles, all within short trips only the length of the bar. Her blood sugar level had been an issue earlier in the shift when she realized that she hadn't eaten nor would she have time to and began main-lining energy drinks to keep her hands from trembling but the finish line was in sight.

She was on glass washing duty for the third or fourth time that evening when the front bell chimed and the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, sending a chill down her spine. At the moment Harley thought maybe the air was turning colder and did not give the comings or goings of the patrons pause even when she felt a warm hand wrap firmly around her bicep and tug at her slightly. Harley was so deep in work mode that she didn't even turn to look before speaking, "Almost done. Just a second." She glanced to the side as she spoke and the bright crimson shirt he wore caught her eye, it was his favorite after all.

Her eyes traveled up, landing on the pearl snaps at the pockets and further up to the scratches that were visible around his collar and the dark circles that highlighted those icy blue orbs she prayed to get lost in at least twice a day. When her eyes finally settled on his face his features softened, the corner of his mouth quirking up slightly to an almost grin. "You look like crap. What'd you do? Walk back?" She squeaked, trying to dampen down her alarm and the mild panic she felt at his rough appearance.

Elliot rolled his eyes up and shook his head slightly, until the motion caused his shirt to rub coarsely against the abrasions on his neck and chest as he chuckled down at her. "Somethin' like that." The job seemed to have gone wrong from the start and when they were able to wrap up days earlier than planned it seemed like a blessing. Even the beating he'd taken at the hands of the CEO's goons was a small price to pay to be back…home. He hadn't wanted to ask or rely on Hardison to tell him where she was, but his young friend was smart enough to offer the information just inside the city limits seeming to read Elliot's mood. Nate had barely put the van in park when he unceremoniously jumped out and made a b-line for the front door. There would be time to unpack later, but right now he had something much more important to tend to.

"Elliot?..." A determined voice called from behind and Harley couldn't contain the huffed sound she made, her eyebrows only rising a fraction but kept the rest of her expression neutral, giving nothing else away and safe in the knowledge that Carrie would have seen him come in. His eyes widened as the voice registered and by the look on Harley's face he could tell that the two had become somewhat acquainted already. When she turned away and headed off to the farthest end of the bar with an arm full of mugs and a half assed attempt at making herself scares he sighed before screwing on a smile and turned to face the firing squad. _A little warning would have been nice. Dammit, Hardison._

When the lock engaged and the open sign had been turned to _"Sorry we missed you" _Harley breathed a short lived sigh of relief before turning back to the table of weary Grifters who had taken up residence at a small table near the bar to start clearing glasses when Elliot returned from his extended conversation with Carrie. Her internal monologue told her that it was none of her business, but the apologetic look he kept flashing her wasn't exactly helping. She was making short work of the front of the house trash when the team began to scatter, each looking worse for the wear when Elliot approached her, hands digging down in the pockets of his dark jeans.

"Hey."

"Hey." She kept working, knowing that at this rate she'd still be trying to get done when they re-opened.

"I gotta take care of a couple things upstairs. When you get done come up will ya? I could use your help with somethin'." He ran a palm against the base of his neck as he spoke, keeping his voice low for only her to hear.

"Yep. Just give me five." He was in her bubble now, keeping her from ignoring him but she still couldn't look at him. She didn't want him to see the inner turmoil that raged within her. Harley wasn't even sure what she was feeling, how was she supposed to explain it?

Elliot huffed at her dismissal but didn't figure that now was the time to throw a temper tantrum about it and walked away without another word. Although she'd been busy all evening it was erratic, the kind of busy for the sake of being busy. _ But right now there were more important matters at hand_, he thought as he took the stairs two at a time. He tried to keep the sleeve of his favorite shirt separate from the bandage that had long ago soaked through. Earlier in the day Nate had helped him bandage the area on the underside of his bicep citing a need for stitches that he promptly ignored. But now the thought of stitching it himself, left handed, while looking in a mirror no longer appealed to him. Especially at eleven o'clock at night when he couldn't remember the last time he'd slept.

All the necessary items were in place on the table when he heard booted footfall on the stairs. He wondered if he should have just asked Parker or Nate to take care of it. After all, he was about to blindside her with the news that he had six inch gaping knife wound that required attention and she was the woman for the job. It wasn't fair but she needed to know the score; that this is what his life was really like. A hundred times out of a hundred he came home looking like hell, beat up, broken and sore. There was absolutely nothing normal about it, but it was better than the old life he'd lived. He was trying to scare her away, he was wimp and he knew it. But he had to be sure that she knew what she was getting into when she bet on black.


End file.
